Ecclesiastes 5

1 Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice, —for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.

Watch thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be near to hearken [to his will], more than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that they do evil [to themselves].

2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and, with thy heart, be not in haste to bring forth a word, before God, —for, God, is in the heavens, and, thou, upon the earth, for this cause, let thy words be few.

Suffer not thy mouth to be rash, and let thy heart not be hasty to utter any word before God; for God is in the heavens, and thou art upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, —and, the voice of a dullard, is with a multitude of words.

For a dream cometh through being much employed [with something], and the voice of a fool cometh with a multitude of words.

4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards, —what thou vowest, pay!

When thou makest a vow unto God, do not delay to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in such fools: that which thou hast vowed must thou pay.

5 Better that thou shouldest not vow, —than vow, and not pay.

It is better that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.

6 Do not let thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin, —neither say thou, before the messenger, that it was, a mistake, —wherefore should God be indignant at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy body to sin; and say thou not before the messenger, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry because of thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

7 For [it was done] amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words, —but, towards God, be thou reverent.

For in the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but rather fear thou God.

8 If, the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of justice and righteousness, thou see in the province, do not be astonished over the matter, —for, one high above the highest, is watching, yea, the Most High, is over them.

If thou see the oppression of the poor, and violence done to justice and righteousness in a province, do not feel astounded at the matter; for one that is high watcheth over the high; and over them, the highest Power.

9 And, the profit of the earth, is, for all, —a king, by the field, is served.

But the advantage of a land in all things is, a king who is subject to the country.

10 He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver nor, he that loveth abundance, with revenue, —even this, was vanity.

He that loveth money will never be satisfied with money; nor he that loveth abundance, with any increase. Also this is vanity.

11 When blessings are increased, increased are the eaters thereof, —what profit, then, to the owner of them saving the sight of his eyes?

When prosperity increaseth, those that consume it [likewise] increase: and what advantage is there to its owner, saving to see [it] with his eyes?

12 Sweet the sleep of the labourer, whether, little or much, he eat, —but, the surfeit of the rich man, will not suffer him to sleep.

Sweet is the sleep of the laboring man, whether he eat little or much; but the overabundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13 Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;

There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, [namely, ] riches reserved for their owner to his own hurt.

14 and those riches perish, by being ill employed, —and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.

And these riches are lost through an unfortunate event; and he begetteth a son, and hath not the least in his hand:

15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked, he again departeth, as he came, —and, nothing, can he take of his toil, which he can carry in his hand.

As he came forth out of his mother's womb, naked will he return to go as he came; and not the least will he carry off for his toil, which he might take away with him.

16 Even this, moreover, is an incurable evil, altogether as he came, so, shall he depart, —what profit then shall he have who toileth for the wind?

And also this is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so must he go: and what profit hath he that hath toiled for the wind?

17 Even all his days, [are spent] in darkness and mourning, —and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.

All his days also had he to eat in darkness, and hath had much vexation and wrath with his sickness.

18 Lo! what, I myself, have seen—Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one’s toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:

Behold, what I have truly seen as a good thing, that it is fitting to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all one's toil that he taketh under the sun the number of the days of his life, which God hath given him; for this is his portion.

19 yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.

Also every man to whom God hath given riches and property, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his toil— this is the gift of God.

20 Though it be not much, let him remember the days of his life, —for, God, beareth witness, by the gladness of his heart.

Let him then remember, that the days of his life are not many, that God hath answered him with the joy of his heart.