Ecclesiastes 5

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not understand that they are doing what is wrong.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2 Do not be too quick to speak with your mouth, and do not let your heart be too quick to bring any matter up before God. God is in heaven, but you are on earth, so let your words be few.

Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.

3 If you have too many things to do and worry about, you will probably have bad dreams. The more words you speak, the more foolish things you will probably say.

As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to do it, for God has no pleasure in fools. Do what you vow you will do.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one that you do not carry out.

It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin. Do not say to the priest's messenger, “That vow was a mistake.” Why make God angry by vowing falsely, provoking God to destroy the work of your hands?

Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

7 For in many dreams, as in many words, there is meaningless vapor. So fear God.

For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.

8 When you see the poor being oppressed and robbed of just and right treatment in your province, do not be astonished as if no one knows, because there are people in power who watch those under them, and there are even higher ones over them.

If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.

9 In addition, the produce of the land is for everyone, and the king himself takes produce from the fields.

The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

10 Anyone who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, and anyone who loves wealth always wants more. This, too, is vapor.

He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

11 As prosperity increases, so also do the people who consume it. What advantage in wealth is there to the owner except to watch it with his eyes?

When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?

12 The sleep of a working man is sweet, whether he eats little or a lot, but the wealth of a rich person does not allow him to sleep well.

The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

13 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun: riches hoarded by the owner, resulting in his own misery.

There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,

14 When the rich man loses his wealth through bad luck, his own son, one whom he has fathered, is left with nothing in his hands.

or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

15 As a man comes from his mother's womb, so also he will leave naked. He can take none of the fruits of his labor in his hand.

As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.

16 Another evil is that as a person comes, so he goes away. So what profit is there for him who works for the wind?

This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?

17 During his days he eats with darkness and is greatly distressed with sickness and anger.

Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

18 Look, what I have seen to be good and suitable is to eat and drink and to enjoy the gain from all our work, as we labor under the sun during the days of this life that God has given us. For this is man's assignment.

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.

19 Anyone to whom God has given riches and wealth and the ability to receive his share and rejoice in his work—this is a gift from God.

Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.

20 For he does not call to mind very often the days of his life, because God makes him keep busy with the things that he enjoys doing.

For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.