Ecclesiastes 5

1 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.

Keep your foot, whenever you go to the house of God; and [when you are] near to hear, let your sacrifice [be] better than the gift of fools: for they know not that they are doing evil.

2 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.

Be not hasty with your mouth, and let not your heart be swift to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven above, and you upon earth: therefore let your words be few.

3 Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.

For through the multitude of trial a dream comes; and a fool's voice is with a multitude of words.

4 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.

Whenever you shall vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for [he has] no pleasure in fools: pay you therefore whatever you shall have vowed.

5 And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.

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

6 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.

Suffer not your mouth to lead your flesh to sin; and say not in the presence of God, It was an error: lest God be angry at your voice, and destroy the works of your hands.

7 Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.

For [there is evil] in a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear you God.

8 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.

If you should see the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of judgment and of justice in the land, wonder not at the matter: for [there is] a high one to watch over him that is high, and high ones over them.

9 But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.

Also the abundance of the earth is for every one: the king [is dependent on] the tilled field.

10 A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.

He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver: and who has loved gain, in the abundance thereof? this is also vanity.

11 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?

In the multitude of good they are increased that eat it: and what virtue has the owner, but the right of beholding [it] with his eyes?

12 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.

The sleep of a servant is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but to one who is satiated with wealth, there is none that suffers him to sleep.

13 There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.

There is an infirmity which I have seen under the sun, [namely], wealth kept for its owner to his hurt.

14 For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.

And that wealth shall perish in an evil trouble: and [the man] begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

15 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.

As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, he shall return back as he came, and he shall receive nothing for his labor, that it should go [with him] in his hand.

16 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?

And this is also an evil infirmity: for as he came, so also shall he return: and what is his gain, for which he vainly labors?

17 All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.

Yes, all his days are in darkness, and in mourning, and much sorrow, and infirmity, and wrath.

18 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.

Behold, I have seen good, that it is a fine thing [for a man] to eat and to drink, and to see good in all his labor in which he may labor under the sun, [all] the number of the days of his life which God has given to him: for it is his portion.

19 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.

Yes, and [as for] every man to whom God has given wealth and possessions, and has given him power to eat thereof, and to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

20 And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.

For he shall not much remember the days of his life; for God troubles him in the mirth of his heart.