Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher, chapter 5, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 5 New English Translation

Rash Vows

   1 Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.
   2 Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.
   3 Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a fool occurs when there are many words.
   4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!
   5 It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.
   6 Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, "It was a mistake!" Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy the work of your hands?"
   7 Just as there is futility in many dreams, so also in many words. Therefore, fear God!

Government Corruption

   8 If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!
   9 The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is served by the fields.

Covetousness

   10 The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.
   11 When someone's prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?
   12 The sleep of the laborer is pleasant - whether he eats little or much - but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life

   13 Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.
   14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.
   15 Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.
   16 This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?
   17 Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.

Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor

   18 I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.
   19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.
   20 For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.

King James Version

   1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
   2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
   3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
   4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
   5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
   6 Suffer 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 thine hands?
   7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
   8 ¶ If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
   9 ¶ Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
   10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
   11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
   12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
   13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
   14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
   15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
   16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
   17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
   18 ¶ Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
   19 Every 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 labour; this is the gift of God.
   20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.