Ecclesiastes 5

1 Be careful when you go into God's house. It's better to listen and respond rather than offer meaningless sacrifices. People who do that don't even know they are doing wrong.

Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice, —for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.

2 Don't say rash things, and think before you speak to God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so keep it short.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and, with thy heart, be not in haste to bring forth a word, before God, —for, God, is in the heavens, and, thou, upon the earth, for this cause, let thy words be few.

3 When you worry too much, you get nightmares; when you talk too much, you say foolish things.

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, —and, the voice of a dullard, is with a multitude of words.

4 When you make a vow to God, with a curse on you if you don't keep it, don't be slow in keeping it, for he is not happy with foolish behavior. So do what you promised!

When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards, —what thou vowest, pay!

5 Better not to make any vows at all than to make vow you don't keep.

Better that thou shouldest not vow, —than vow, and not pay.

6 Don't let your mouth cause you to sin. And don't tell the priest that your vow was a mistake, for why would you antagonize God by breaking your promise? He could bring your own curse down on you.

Do not let thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin, —neither say thou, before the messenger, that it was, a mistake, —wherefore should God be indignant at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

7 There are certainly many dreams, questions of meaning, and lots of different ideas, but you are to follow God.

For [it was done] amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words, —but, towards God, be thou reverent.

8 If you see poor people somewhere being oppressed, or truth and justice violated, don't be shocked at it, for every official is responsible to others higher up, and there are officials over them as well.

If, the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of justice and righteousness, thou see in the province, do not be astonished over the matter, —for, one high above the highest, is watching, yea, the Most High, is over them.

9 However, what the land produces is for everyone—even the king benefits from what is grown.

And, the profit of the earth, is, for all, —a king, by the field, is served.

10 People who love money never have enough money; those who love wealth never have enough income. This too is so temporary and makes little sense.

He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver nor, he that loveth abundance, with revenue, —even this, was vanity.

11 The more you earn, the more you have eating into your income. It only looks like you have more!

When blessings are increased, increased are the eaters thereof, —what profit, then, to the owner of them saving the sight of his eyes?

12 Those who work hard sleep well, whether they have a little to eat or plenty, but the rich own so much they don't get any rest.

Sweet the sleep of the labourer, whether, little or much, he eat, —but, the surfeit of the rich man, will not suffer him to sleep.

13 I observed something here that is really sickening: people who hoard money damage themselves.

Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;

14 They put their money into bad investments and lose everything. Now when we're born, we don't bring anything into the world.

and those riches perish, by being ill employed, —and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.

15 When we die, we leave just as naked as when we were born, taking nothing with us from all we've worked for.

As he came from his mother’s womb, naked, he again departeth, as he came, —and, nothing, can he take of his toil, which he can carry in his hand.

16 This also makes me sick! What do people gain, working for the wind?

Even this, moreover, is an incurable evil, altogether as he came, so, shall he depart, —what profit then shall he have who toileth for the wind?

17 They live their lives in darkness, very frustrated, sick, and resentful.

Even all his days, [are spent] in darkness and mourning, —and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.

18 But I observed that what is good and right is to eat, drink, and to find enjoyment in the work God gives us here in this life. This is God's gift to us.

Lo! what, I myself, have seen—Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one’s toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:

19 In addition, everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions he also gives the ability to enjoy these gifts, to be grateful for what they are given, and to enjoy the work they do. This is also God's gift to us.

yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.

20 In fact such people have little time to think about life because God keeps them busy with all that makes them happy.

Though it be not much, let him remember the days of his life, —for, God, beareth witness, by the gladness of his heart.