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 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.

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.

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.

3 For the dream hath come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.

For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

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.

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.

5 Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete.

It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

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?

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?

7 For, in the abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear thou God.

For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but 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 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.

9 And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

10 Whoso is loving silver is not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase. Even this [is] vanity.

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

11 In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit [is] to its possessor except the sight of his eyes?

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?

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.

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.

13 There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.

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

14 And that wealth hath been lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand!

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

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.

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.

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?

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?

17 Also all his days in darkness he consumeth, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.

All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

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.

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.

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.

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.

20 For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.

For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.