Ecclesiastes 5
5
1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God#GodHebrew: Elohim and draw near to hear, rather than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil. 2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God#GodHebrew: Elohim for God#GodHebrew: Elohim is in the heavens, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. 3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.
4When thou vowest a vow unto God#GodHebrew: Elohim defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an inadvertence. Wherefore should God#GodHebrew: Elohim be wroth at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? 7For in the multitude of dreams are vanities; so with many words: but fear God#GodHebrew: Elohim 8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they.
9Moreover the earth is every way profitable: the king himself is dependent upon the field. 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This also is vanity. 11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what profit is there to the owner thereof, except the beholding of them with his eyes? 12The sleep of the labourer is sweet, whether he have eaten little or much; but the fulness of the rich doth not suffer him to sleep. 13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt; 14or those riches perish by some evil circumstance, and if he have begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. 15As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go away again as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind? 17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and hath much vexation, and sickness, and irritation.
18Behold what I have seen good and comely: it is to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith man laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God#GodHebrew: Elohim hath given him: for that is his portion. 19Every man also to whom God#GodHebrew: Elohim hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift of God#GodHebrew: Elohim 20For he will not much remember the days of his life, because God#GodHebrew: Elohim answereth him with the joy of his heart.
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Ecclesiastes 5: DARBY
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Ecclesiastes 5
5
1Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil. 2Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words. 4When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow. 5It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 6Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God.
8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them. 9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.
10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. 11When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?
12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.
13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. 14Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand. 15As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labours for the wind? 17All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.
18Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour, in which he labours under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion. 19Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour—this is the gift of God. 20For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.
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