Ecclesiastes 5

1 Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.

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 Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore 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 For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

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

4 When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

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 that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

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

6 Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and 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 the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God.

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

8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials 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 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

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

10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

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

11 When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them 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 labouring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

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 a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

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

14 Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

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

15 As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away 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 This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labours 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 All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

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

18 Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour, in which he labours under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

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 Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour—this is the gift of 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 shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

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