5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
5:2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
5:3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
5:5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
5:6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
5:7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.
5:8 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
5:9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
5:11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?
5:12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.
5:13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
5:14 or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him.
5:15 Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.
5:16 This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind?
5:17 All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
5:18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him–for this is his lot.
5:19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God.
5:20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.
5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil.
5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart hastily utter anything before God; for God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.
5:3 For a dream comes through a multitude of travail, and a fool s voice through a multitude of words.
5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it; for He takes no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.
5:5 It is better that you do not vow than that you vow and not pay.
5:6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the works of your hands?
5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and in many words are also vanities. Rather, fear God.
5:8 If you see the oppression of the poor and the wresting of justice and righteousness in a province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one higher official watches over another high official, and there are higher officials over them.
5:9 And a king who cultivates the field is always an advantage for a land.
5:10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance with income. This also is vanity.
5:11 When goods increase, those who eat them increase; so what advantage do their owners have except to see them with their eyes?
5:12 Sweet is the sleep of the laborer, whether he eats little or much; but the fullness of the rich will not let him sleep.
5:13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept by their owner to his own hurt,
5:14 And those riches were lost in a bad venture; and having begotten a son, he had nothing in his hand.
5:15 As he came forth from his mother s womb, he will return naked as he came; and he will take nothing of his labor that he may carry in his hand.
5:16 And this also is a grievous evil: in all points, as he came, so will he go; so what is the advantage to him who has labored for the wind?
5:17 Throughout all his days he also eats in darkness and has much vexation and sickness and resentment.
5:18 Here is what I have seen to be good and what is pleasant: to eat and to drink and to taste enjoyment in all his labor by which he labors under the sun during the few days of his life, which God has given him; for this is his portion.
5:19 Moreover, for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has empowered him to eat of them and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labor ? this is the gift of God.
5:20 For he will not brood much over the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.