Ecclesiastes 5
1 custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei multo enim melior est oboedientia quam stultorum victimae qui nesciunt quid faciant mali
Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the House of God, and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles: for they knowe not that they doe euil.
2 ne temere quid loquaris neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo Deus enim in caelo et tu super terram idcirco sint pauci sermones tui
Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God: for God is in the heauens, and thou art on the earth: therefore let thy wordes be fewe.
3 multas curas sequuntur somnia et in multis sermonibus invenitur stultitia
For as a dreame commeth by the multitude of businesse: so the voyce of a foole is in the multitude of wordes.
4 si quid vovisti Deo ne moreris reddere displicet enim ei infidelis et stulta promissio sed quodcumque voveris redde
When thou hast vowed a vowe to God, deferre not to pay it: for he deliteth not in fooles: pay therefore that thou hast vowed.
5 multoque melius est non vovere quam post votum promissa non conplere
It is better that thou shouldest not vowe, then that thou shouldest vow and not pay it.
6 ne dederis os tuum ut peccare faciat carnem tuam neque dicas coram angelo non est providentia ne forte iratus Deus super sermone tuo dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum
Suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sinne: neither say before the Angel, that this is ignorance: wherefore shall God bee angry by thy voyce, and destroy the worke of thine hands?
7 ubi multa sunt somnia plurimae vanitates et sermones innumeri tu vero Deum time
For in the multitude of dreames, and vanities are also many wordes: but feare thou God.
8 si videris calumnias egenorum et violenta iudicia et subverti iustitiam in provincia non mireris super hoc negotio quia excelso alius excelsior est et super hos quoque eminentiores sunt alii
If in a countrey thou seest the oppression of the poore, and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice, be not astonied at the matter: for hee that is higher then the highest, regardeth, and there be higher then they.
9 et insuper universae terrae rex imperat servienti
And the abundance of the earth is ouer all: the King also consisteth by the fielde that is tilled.
10 avarus non implebitur pecunia et qui amat divitias fructus non capiet ex eis et hoc ergo vanitas
He that loueth siluer, shall not be satisfied with siluer, and he that loueth riches, shalbe without the fruite thereof: this also is vanitie.
11 ubi multae sunt opes multi et qui comedant eas et quid prodest possessori nisi quod cernit divitias oculis suis
When goods increase, they are increased that eate them: and what good commeth to the owners thereof, but the beholding thereof with their eyes?
12 dulcis est somnus operanti sive parum sive multum comedat saturitas autem divitis non sinit dormire eum
The sleepe of him that traueileth, is sweete, whether he eate litle or much: but the sacietie of the riche will not suffer him to sleepe.
13 est et alia infirmitas pessima quam vidi sub sole divitiae conservatae in malum domini sui
There is an euill sickenes that I haue seene vnder the sunne: to wit, riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill.
14 pereunt enim in adflictione pessima generavit filium qui in summa egestate erit
And these riches perish by euill trauel, and he begetteth a sonne, and in his hand is nothing.
15 sicut egressus est nudus de utero matris suae sic revertetur et nihil auferet secum de labore suo
As hee came foorth of his mothers belly, he shall returne naked to goe as he came, and shall beare away nothing of his labour, which hee hath caused to passe by his hand.
16 miserabilis prorsus infirmitas quomodo venit sic revertetur quid ergo prodest ei quod laboravit in ventum
And this also is an euill sickenes that in all pointes as he came, so shall he goe, and what profit hath he that he hath traueiled for the winde?
17 cunctis diebus vitae suae comedit in tenebris et in curis multis et in aerumna atque tristitia
Also all his dayes hee eateth in darkenes with much griefe, and in his sorowe and anger.
18 hoc itaque mihi visum est bonum ut comedat quis et bibat et fruatur laetitia ex labore suo quod laboravit ipse sub sole numerum dierum vitae suae quos dedit ei Deus et haec est pars illius
Beholde then, what I haue seene good, that it is comely to eate, and to drinke, and to take pleasure in all his labour, wherein he traueileth vnder the sunne, the whole nomber of the dayes of his life, which God giueth him: for this is his portion.
19 et omni homini cui dedit Deus divitias atque substantiam potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis et fruatur parte sua et laetetur de labore suo hoc est donum Dei
Also to euery man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures, and giueth him power to eate thereof, and to take his part, and to enioy his labour: this is the gift of God.
20 non enim satis recordabitur dierum vitae suae eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cor eius
Surely hee will not much remember the dayes of his life, because God answereth to the ioy of his heart.
