Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 5
5
1Guard your steps when you go to the House of Elohim. And draw near to listen rather than to give the slaughtering of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
2Do not be hasty with your mouth, and let not your heart hurry to bring forth a word before Elohim. For Elohim is in the heavens, and you on earth, therefore let your words be few.
3For a dream comes through the greatness of the task, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
4When you make a vow to Elohim, do not delay to pay it, for He takes no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you have vowed.
5It is better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
6Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of Elohim that it was a mistake. Why should Elohim be wroth at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
7For in much dreaming and many words there is futility. But fear Elohim.
8If you see the oppression of the poor, and denial of right-ruling and righteousness in a province, do not be astonished at the matter. For a higher than the high is guarding, and there are higher ones over them.
9And the increase of the land is for all. The sovereign himself is served from the field.
10He who loves silver is not satisfied with silver; nor he who loves wealth, and increase. That too is futile.
11With the increase of goods, there is an increase of those consuming them. What advantage then is there to their owners, but to look on?
12Sweet is the sleep of a labourer whether he eats little or much, but the plenty of the rich does not let him sleep.
13There is a sickly evil I have seen under the sun: riches kept for their owner, for his evil.
14But those riches perish through evil use. And he brings forth a son, and there is naught in his hand.
15As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he returns, to go as he came. And from his labour which goes into his hand he takes none whatsoever.
16And this too is a grievous evil – exactly as he came, so he goes. And what gain has he since he toiled for the wind?
17All his days he also eats in darkness, and with much sorrow and sickness and wrath.
18See what I have seen: It is good and beautiful for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which Elohim gives him, for it is his portion.
19Further, when Elohim has given any man riches and wealth, and permitted him to enjoy them, and to receive his portion and rejoice in his labour, this is a gift of Elohim.
20Though it not be much, let him remember the days of his life, because Elohim bears witness by the gladness of his heart.
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Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 5: TS2009
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Ecclesiastes 5
5
Don't Make Rash Promises
1Be careful about going to the Temple. It is better to go there to learn than to offer sacrifices as foolish people do, people who don't know right from wrong. 2Think before you speak, and don't make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don't say any more than you have to. 3The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams, and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish. 4#Ps 66.13–14So when you make a promise to God, keep it as quickly as possible. He has no use for a fool. Do what you promise to do. 5Better not to promise at all than to make a promise and not keep it. 6Don't let your own words lead you into sin, so that you have to tell God's priest that you didn't mean it. Why make God angry with you? Why let him destroy what you have worked for? 7No matter how much you dream, how much useless work you do, or how much you talk, you must still stand in awe of God.
Life is Useless
8Don't be surprised when you see that the government oppresses the poor and denies them justice and their rights. Every official is protected by the one over him, and both are protected by still higher officials.
9Even a king depends on the harvest.#5.9 Verse 9 in Hebrew is unclear.
10If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless. 11The richer you are, the more mouths you must feed. All you gain is the knowledge that you are rich. 12Workers may or may not have enough to eat, but at least they can get a good night's sleep. The rich, however, have so much that they stay awake worrying.
13Here is a terrible thing that I have seen in this world: people save up their money for a time when they may need it,#5.13 for… it; or to their own hurt. 14and then lose it all in some unlucky deal and end up with nothing left to pass on to their children. 15#Job 1.21; Ps 49.17; 1 Tim 6.7We leave this world just as we entered it — with nothing. In spite of all our work there is nothing we can take with us. 16It isn't right! We go just as we came. We labour, trying to catch the wind, and what do we get? 17We have to live our lives in darkness and grief,#5.17 Some ancient translations in darkness and grief; Hebrew eating in darkness. worried, angry, and sick.
18This is what I have found out: the best thing anyone can do is to eat and drink and enjoy what he has worked for during the short life that God has given him; this is man's fate. 19If God gives a man wealth and property and lets him enjoy them, he should be grateful and enjoy what he has worked for. It is a gift from God. 20Since God has allowed him to be happy, he will not worry too much about how short life is.
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.