Ecclesiastes 5
5
1 You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few.
2 Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
3 If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
4 And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
5 You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, "There is no Providence." For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
6 Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.
7 If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
8 But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
9 A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
10 Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?
11 Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
12 There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.
13 For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
14 Just as he went forth naked from his mother's womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
15 It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
16 All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
17 And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
18 And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
19 And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.
Currently Selected:
Ecclesiastes 5: CPDV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Ecclesiastes 5
5
Caution in God’s Presence
1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, # 1Sm 15:22; Mt 5:23-24 for they ignorantly do wrong. 2 # Ec 5:1 in HbDo not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. # Pr 10:19; Mt 6:7 3For dreams result from much work and a fool’s voice from many words. # Jb 11:2 4When you make a vow to God, # Nm 30:2; Dt 6:13; 23:21-22; Pr 20:25 don’t delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. # Pr 20:25; Mt 5:33-37; Ac 5:4; Jms 5:12 6Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, # Jdg 11:30-31,34 and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. # Nm 15:25 Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 7For many dreams bring futility, so do many words. # Ec 6:11 Therefore, fear God.
The Realities of Wealth
8If you see oppression of the poor # Ec 4:1 and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, # 1Pt 4:12 because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them. 9The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field. # Or An advantage for the land in every respect is a king for a cultivated field ; Hb obscure # Pr 27:23-27
10The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile. 11When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes? 12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep.
13There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. # Ec 6:1-2 14That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed. 15As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; # Jb 1:21 he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands. 16This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain # Ec 1:3 who struggles for the wind? # Pr 11:29 17What is more, he eats in darkness all his days, # Ps 127:2 with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
18Here is what I have seen to be good: # Ec 2:24 it is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward. # Ec 2:10 19God has also given riches and wealth to every man, # 2Ch 1:12 and He has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. # Ec 6:2 This is a gift of God, # Ec 3:13 20for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.