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.

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.

1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house ofGod, and draw near to hear, rather than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

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

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.

2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything beforeGod: forGod is in the heavens, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.

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.

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

3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.

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

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 thou vowest a vow untoGod, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

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.

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

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

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

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?

6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an inadvertence. Wherefore shouldGod be wroth at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

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:

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

7For in the multitude of dreams are vanities; so with many words: but fearGod.

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

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 thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they.

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.

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

9Moreover the earth is every way profitable: the king [himself] is dependent upon the field.

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?

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

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

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.

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?

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

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

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.

12The sleep of the labourer is sweet, whether he have eaten little or much; but the fulness of the rich doth not suffer him to sleep.

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

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

13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt;

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

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

14or those riches perish by some evil circumstance, and if he have begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

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

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.

15As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go away again as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

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

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?

16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind?

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.

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

17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and hath much vexation, and sickness, and irritation.

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.

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.

18Behold what I have seen good and comely: [it is] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith [man] laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life whichGod hath given him: for that is his portion.

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

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.

19Every man also to whomGod hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift ofGod.

20(not in this translation)

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

20For he will not much remember the days of his life, becauseGod answereth [him] with the joy of his heart.