Ecclesiastes 5

¹You 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.

²Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.

³If 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.

⁴And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.

⁵You 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.

⁶Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.

⁷If 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.

⁸But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.

⁹A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.

¹⁰Where 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?

¹¹Sleep 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.

¹²There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.

¹³For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.

¹⁴Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.

¹⁵It 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?

¹⁶All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.

¹⁷And 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.

¹⁸And 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.

¹⁹And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.

Ecclesiastes 5

¹Speak not any thing rashly, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

²Dreams follow many cares: and in many words shall be found folly.

³If thou hast vowed any thing to God, defer not to pay it: for an unfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth him: but whatsoever thou hast vowed, pay it.

⁴And it is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised.

⁵Give not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin: and say not before the angel: There is no providence: lest God be angry at thy words, and destroy all the works of thy hands.

⁶Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities, and words without number: but do thou fear God.

⁷If thou shalt see the oppressions of the poor, and violent judgments, and justice perverted in the province, wonder not at this matter: for he that is high hath another higher, and there are others still higher than these:

⁸Moreover there is the king that reigneth over all the land subject to him.

⁹A covetous man shall not be satisfied with money: and he that loveth riches shall reap no fruit from them: so this also is vanity.

¹⁰Where there are great riches, there are also many to eat them. And what doth it profit the owner, but that he seeth the riches with his eyes?

¹¹Sleep is sweet to a labouring man, whether he eat little or much: but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

¹²There is also another grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun: riches kept to the hurt of the owner.

¹³For they are lost with very great affliction: he hath begotten a son, who shall be in extremity of want.

¹⁴As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, so shall he return, and shall take nothing away with him of his labour.

¹⁵A most deplorable evil: as he came, so shall he return. What then doth it profit him that he hath laboured for the wind?

¹⁶All the days of his life he eateth in darkness, and in many cares, and in misery, and sorrow.

¹⁷This therefore hath seemed good to me, that a man should eat and drink, and enjoy the fruit of his labour, wherewith he hath laboured under the sun, all the days of his life, which God hath given him: and this is his portion.

¹⁸And every man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to enjoy his portion, and to rejoice of his labour: this is the gift of God.

¹⁹For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God entertaineth his heart with delight.