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 feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil.

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

2Cause not thy mouth to hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou on the 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 the dream hath come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance 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 to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest--complete.

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 that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete.

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, nor say before the messenger, that `it <FI>is<Fi> an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed 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 abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear thou God.

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

8If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness thou seest in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones <FI>are<Fi> over them.

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.

9And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.

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?

10Whoso is loving silver is not satisfied <FI>with<Fi> silver, nor he who is in love with stores <FI>with<Fi> increase. Even this <FI>is<Fi> 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.

11In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit <FI>is<Fi> to its possessor except the sight of his eyes?

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

12Sweet <FI>is<Fi> the sleep of the labourer whether he eat little or much; and the sufficiency of the wealthy is not suffering 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 painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.

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 that wealth hath been lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and 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 out from the belly of his mother, naked he turneth back to go as he came, and he taketh not away anything of his labour, that doth go 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 <FI>is<Fi> a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage <FI>is<Fi> to him who laboureth for 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.

17Also all his days in darkness he consumeth, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.

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.

18Lo, that which I have seen: <FI>It is<Fi> good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it <FI> is<Fi> 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 wealth and riches, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to accept his portion, and to rejoice in his labour, this is a gift of God.

20(not in this translation)

20For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.