Ecclesiastes 5 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[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 don’t know that they do evil. ^[2] 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 as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words. ^[4] 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] It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. ^[6] 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 multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God. ^[8] 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] Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field. ^[10] He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. ^[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? ^[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. ^[13] There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. ^[14] Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand. ^[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. ^[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? ^[17] All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath. ^[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. ^[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. ^[20] For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

King James Version

^[1] KeepH8104(QalImpv) thy footH7272 when thou goestH3212(QalImpf) to the houseH1004 of God,H430 and be more readyH7138 to hear,H8085(QalInf) than to giveH5414(QalInf) the sacrificeH2077 of fools:H3684 for they considerH3045(QalActPtc) not that they doH6213(QalInf) evil.H7451 ^[2] Be not rashH926(PielImpf) with thy mouth,H6310 and let not thine heartH3820 be hastyH4116(PielImpf) to utterH3318(HiphInf) [any] thingH1697 beforeH6440 God:H430 for GodH430 [is] in heaven,H8064 and thou upon earth:H776 therefore let thy wordsH1697 be few.H4592 ^[3] For a dreamH2472 comethH935(QalActPtc) through the multitudeH7230 of business;H6045 and a fool’sH3684 voiceH6963 [is known] by multitudeH7230 of words.H1697 ^[4] When thou vowestH5087(QalImpf) a vowH5088 unto God,H430 deferH309(PielImpf) not to payH7999(PielInf) it; for [he hath] no pleasureH2656 in fools:H3684 payH7999(PielImpv) that which thou hast vowed.H5087(QalImpf) ^[5] BetterH2896 [is it] that thou shouldest not vow,H5087(QalImpf) than that thou shouldest vowH5087(QalImpf) and not pay.H7999(PielImpf) ^[6] SufferH5414(QalImpf) not thy mouthH6310 to cause thy fleshH1320 to sin;H2398(HiphInf) neither sayH559(QalImpf) thou beforeH6440 the angel,H4397 that it [was] an error:H7684 wherefore should GodH430 be angryH7107(QalImpf) at thy voice,H6963 and destroyH2254(PielPerf) the workH4639 of thine hands?H3027 ^[7] For in the multitudeH7230 of dreamsH2472 and manyH7235(HiphInf) wordsH1697 [there are] also [divers] vanities:H1892 but fearH3372(QalImpv) thou God.H430 ^[8] If thou seestH7200(QalImpf) the oppressionH6233 of the poor,H7326(QalActPtc) and violentH1499 perverting of judgmentH4941 and justiceH6664 in a province,H4082 marvelH8539(QalImpf) not at the matter:H2656 for [he that is] higherH1364 than the highestH1364 regardeth;H8104(QalActPtc) and [there be] higherH1364 than they.H5921 ^[9] Moreover the profitH3504 of the earthH776 is for all: the kingH4428 [himself] is servedH5647(NiphPerf) by the field.H7704 ^[10] He that lovethH157(QalActPtc) silverH3701 shall not be satisfiedH7646(QalImpf) with silver;H3701 nor he that lovethH157(QalActPtc) abundanceH1995 with increase:H8393 this [is] also vanity.H1892 ^[11] When goodsH2896 increase,H7235(QalInf) they are increasedH7231(QalPerf) that eatH398(QalActPtc) them: and what goodH3788 [is there] to the ownersH1167 thereof, savingH518 the beholdingH7207(Qere) [of them] with their eyes?H5869 ^[12] The sleepH8142 of a labouring manH5647(QalActPtc) [is] sweet,H4966 whether he eatH398(QalImpf) littleH4592 or much:H7235(HiphInf) but the abundanceH7647 of the richH6223 will not sufferH3240(HiphPtc) him to sleep.H3462(QalInf) ^[13] There isH3426 a soreH2470(QalActPtc) evilH7451 [which] I have seenH7200(QalPerf) under the sun,H8121 [namely], richesH6239 keptH8104(QalPasPtc) for the ownersH1167 thereof to their hurt.H7451 ^[14] But those richesH6239 perishH6(QalPerf) by evilH7451 travail:H6045 and he begettethH3205(HiphPerf) a son,H1121 and [there is] nothingH3972 in his hand.H3027 ^[15] As he came forthH3318(QalPerf) of his mother’sH517 womb,H990 nakedH6174 shall he returnH7725(QalImpf) to goH3212(QalInf) as he came,H935(QalPerf) and shall takeH5375(QalImpf) nothingH3972 of his labour,H5999 which he may carry awayH3212(HiphImpf) in his hand.H3027 ^[16] And thisH2090 also [is] a soreH2470(QalActPtc) evil,H7451 [that] in all pointsH5980 as he came,H935(QalPerf) so shall he go:H3212(QalImpf) and what profitH3504 hath he that hath labouredH5998(QalImpf) for the wind?H7307 ^[17] All his daysH3117 also he eatethH398(QalImpf) in darkness,H2822 and [he hath] muchH7235(HiphInf) sorrowH3707(QalPerf) and wrathH7110 with his sickness.H2483 ^[18] Behold [that] which I have seen:H7200(QalPerf) [it is] goodH2896 and comelyH3303 [for one] to eatH398(QalInf) and to drink,H8354(QalInf) and to enjoyH7200(QalInf) the goodH2896 of all his labourH5999 that he takethH5998(QalImpf) under the sunH8121 allH4557 the daysH3117 of his life,H2416 which GodH430 givethH5414(QalPerf) him: for it [is] his portion.H2506 ^[19] Every manH120 also to whom GodH430 hath givenH5414(QalPerf) richesH6239 and wealth,H5233 and hath given him powerH7980(HiphPerf) to eatH398(QalInf) thereof, and to takeH5375(QalInf) his portion,H2506 and to rejoiceH8055(QalInf) in his labour;H5999 thisH2090 [is] the giftH4991 of God.H430 ^[20] For he shall not muchH7235(HiphInf) rememberH2142(QalImpf) the daysH3117 of his life;H2416 because GodH430 answerethH6031(HiphPtc) [him] in the joyH8057 of his heart.H3820

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