Ecclesiastes 5

1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

1Watch your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there to listen than to offer sacrifices like fools do, for they don’t even realize they are doing wrong.

2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

2Don’t be quick to speak, and don’t be in a hurry to make promises to God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so keep your words few.

3For a dream cometh with a multitude of business, and a fool’s voice with a multitude of words.

3Just as too much work brings bad dreams, a fool reveals himself by talking too much.

4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

4When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; pay what you promised.

5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

5It is better not to make a promise at all than to make one and not keep it.

6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

6Don’t let your mouth lead you into sin, and don’t tell the temple messenger that your promise was a mistake. Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.

7Talking too much and dreaming too much are both useless. Instead, show deep respect for God.

8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

8If you see the poor being mistreated and justice being denied in a land, don't be surprised. Every official is watched by one higher up, and there are still higher ones over them.

9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

9Even so, the harvest of the land is for everyone; even the king is served by the fields.

10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

10Whoever loves money will never have enough, and whoever loves wealth will never be satisfied with their income. This also is pointless.

11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes?

11As wealth increases, so do the people who spend it. So what advantage does the owner have, except to watch it slip through his fingers?

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

12A working man sleeps soundly whether he eats a little or a lot, but the wealth of the rich man keeps him awake at night.

13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:

13I have seen a tragic evil under the sun: people hoarding wealth to their own harm.

14and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

14That wealth is lost through some bad luck, so when they have children, there is nothing left to give them.

15As he came forth from 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.

15We come into this world naked from our mother’s womb, and we leave just as we came. We can take nothing with us from all our hard work.打破

16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?

16This is also a tragic evil: exactly as a person comes, so they must go. What do they gain by working for the wind?

17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and hath sickness and wrath.

17They spend all their days eating in darkness, filled with frustration, sickness, and anger.打破

18Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

18This is what I have observed to be good: it is appropriate for a person to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their hard work under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their reward.打破

19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

19Moreover, when God gives a person wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their work—this is a gift from God.打破

20For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

20They won't worry much about how short their life is, because God keeps them occupied with joy in their heart.打破