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.
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Ecclesiastes 5
5
Listen and speak carefully
1Watch#5.1 4:17 in Heb your steps when you go to God’s house. It’s more acceptable to listen than to offer the fools’ sacrifice—they have no idea that they’re acting wrongly. 2Don’t#5.2 5:1 in Heb be quick with your mouth or say anything hastily before God, because God is in heaven, but you are on earth. Therefore, let your words be few.
3Remember:
Dreams come with many cares,
and the voice of fools with many words.
4When you make a promise to God, fulfill it without delay because God has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you promise. 5Better not to make a promise than to make a promise without fulfilling it. 6Don’t let your mouth make a sinner of you, and don’t say to the messenger: “It was a mistake!” Otherwise, God may become angry at such talk and destroy what you have accomplished.
7Remember:
When dreams multiply,
so do pointless thoughts and excessive speech.
Therefore, fear God.
Hoarding wealth
8If you witness the poor being oppressed or the violation of what is just and right in some territory, don’t be surprised because a high official watches over another, and yet others stand over them. 9But the land’s yield should be for everyone if the field is cultivated.#5.9 Correction; Heb uncertain; or The land's advantage in everything is this: a king for a plowed field. 10The money lover isn’t satisfied with money; neither is the lover of wealth satisfied with income. This too is pointless. 11When good things flow, so do those who consume them. But what do owners benefit from such goods, except to feast their eyes on them? 12Sweet is the worker’s sleep, whether there’s a lot or little to eat; but the excess of the wealthy won’t let them sleep.
13I have seen a sickening tragedy under the sun: people hoard their wealth to their own detriment. 14Then that wealth is lost in a bad business venture so that when they have children, they are left with nothing. 15Just as they came from their mother’s womb naked, naked they’ll return, ending up just like they started. All their hard work produces nothing—nothing they can take with them. 16This too is a sickening tragedy: they must pass on just as they arrived. What then do they gain from working so hard for wind? 17What’s more, they constantly eat in darkness, with much aggravation, grief, and anger.
18This is the one good thing I’ve seen: it’s appropriate for people to eat, drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work under the sun during the brief lifetime that God gives them because that’s their lot in life. 19Also, whenever God gives people wealth and riches and enables them to enjoy it, to accept their place in the world#5.19 Or portion in life, as in 5:18 and to find pleasure in their hard work—all this is God’s gift. 20Indeed, people shouldn’t brood too much over the days of their lives because God gives an answer in their hearts’ joy.
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