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 do not know that they do evil.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not understand that they are doing what is wrong.

2 Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not 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 too quick to speak with your mouth, and do not let your heart be too quick to bring any matter up before God. God is in heaven, but 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.

If you have too many things to do and worry about, you will probably have bad dreams. The more words you speak, the more foolish things you will probably say.

4 When you vow a vow to God, do not 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 to do it, for God has no pleasure in fools. Do what you vow you will do.

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

It is better not to make a vow than to make one that you do not carry out.

6 Do not allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Do not 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 allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin. Do not say to the priest's messenger, “That vow was a mistake.” Why make God angry by vowing falsely, provoking God to 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 in many dreams, as in many words, there is meaningless vapor. So fear God.

8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, do not marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.

When you see the poor being oppressed and robbed of just and right treatment in your province, do not be astonished as if no one knows, because there are people in power who watch those under them, and there are even higher ones over them.

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

In addition, the produce of the land is for everyone, and the king himself takes produce 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.

Anyone who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, and anyone who loves wealth always wants more. This, too, is vapor.

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?

As prosperity increases, so also do the people who consume it. What advantage in wealth is there to the owner except to watch it with his eyes?

12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

The sleep of a working man is sweet, whether he eats little or a lot, but the wealth of a rich person does not allow him to sleep well.

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

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun: riches hoarded by the owner, resulting in his own misery.

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

When the rich man loses his wealth through bad luck, his own son, one whom he has fathered, is left with nothing in his hands.

15 As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

As a man comes from his mother's womb, so also he will leave naked. He can take none of the fruits of his labor in his hand.

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 labors for the wind?

Another evil is that as a person comes, so he goes away. So what profit is there for him who works for the wind?

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

During his days he eats with darkness and is greatly distressed with 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 labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

Look, what I have seen to be good and suitable is to eat and drink and to enjoy the gain from all our work, as we labor under the sun during the days of this life that God has given us. For this is man's assignment.

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 labor—this is the gift of God.

Anyone to whom God has given riches and wealth and the ability to receive his share and rejoice in his work—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 he does not call to mind very often the days of his life, because God makes him keep busy with the things that he enjoys doing.