Ecclesiastes 5
1 Keep thy feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil.
Guard your foot, when you step into the house of God, and draw near, so that you may listen. For obedience is much better than the sacrifices of the foolish, who do not know the evil that they are doing.
2 Cause not thy mouth to hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou on the earth, therefore let thy words be few.
You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few.
3 For the dream hath come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.
Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
4 When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest — complete.
If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
5 Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete.
And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that 'it [is] an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands?
You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
7 For, in the abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear thou God.
Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.
8 If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness thou seest in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones [are] over them.
If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
9 And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.
But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
10 Whoso is loving silver is not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase. Even this [is] vanity.
A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
11 In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit [is] to its possessor except the sight of his eyes?
Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?
12 Sweet [is] the sleep of the labourer whether he eat little or much; and the sufficiency of the wealthy is not suffering him to sleep.
Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
13 There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.
There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.
14 And that wealth hath been lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand!
For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
15 As he came out from the belly of his mother, naked he turneth back to go as he came, and he taketh not away anything of his labour, that doth go in his hand.
Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
16 And this also [is] a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage [is] to him who laboureth for wind?
It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
17 Also all his days in darkness he consumeth, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.
All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
18 Lo, that which I have seen: [It is] good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it [is] his portion.
And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
19 Every man also to whom God hath given wealth and riches, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to accept his portion, and to rejoice in his labour, this is a gift of God.
And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
20 For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.
And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.
