Parallel
Ecclesiastes 5
Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Berean Standard Bible
Be not rash with thy mouth, 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.
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; And a fool’s voice through a multitude of words.
Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest.
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.
Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger (note: Or angel) that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.
For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.
If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity.
The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes?
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt;
The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.
There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?
As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath. .
This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?
Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion.
Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
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.
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.
For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.