Ecclesiastes 5
5
Reverence, Humility, and Contentment
1Guard your steps when you enter the house of God. # Ex 3:5 Drawing near to obey is better than the sacrifice of fools, because they do not know that they are committing evil. # Pr 15:8 # 5:1 4:17 in the Hb text.
2Do not be quick to speak with your mouth,
or be hasty to utter a word # Pr 10:19; Mt 6:7 before God
with your heart.
For God is in heaven,
and you are on the earth;
therefore may your words be few.
3For a dream comes when there is a great burden,
and a foolish voice when there are many words. # Pr 15:2
4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you have vowed. # Nu 30:2; Ps 66:13–14 5Better it is that you not make a vow, than make a vow and not fulfill it. # Pr 20:25; Ac 5:4 6Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not say to the priestly messenger that it is an inadvertent sin. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 7For when there is an abundance of dreams and futilities, then words increase too. Therefore it is God you should fear. # Ecc 12:13
The Vanity of Riches
8If you observe in a district the oppression of the poor # Ecc 4:1 and violation of justice and righteousness, do not be astounded by the matter. For the high official is watched over by an even higher official, and there are even higher officials over them. # Ps 12:5; 82:1 9But this is an advantage to the land in every way: a king committed to a cultivated field.
10The one who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
the one who loves money desires revenues in abundance.
This also is vanity. # Ecc 2:11; 4:8
11When there is an increase of good things,
there is an increase of those who devour them.
And what profit is there to the one who owns good things,
except to see them with his eyes?
12Sweet is the sleep # Pr 3:24 of one who works hard,
whether he eats little or much;
but due to the excess of the rich,
there will be no sleep for him.
13There is a grave misery that I have observed under the sun:
when riches were kept by an owner to his hurt, # Ecc 6:1–2
14and those riches were lost in an unfortunate business deal;
and although he has a son,
there is nothing left to put in his hand.
15As he came from his mother’s womb,
naked he will depart, as he came; # Job 1:21; Ps 49:17
he will not take anything for his labor,
which he may carry away with his hands.
16And this also is a grave misery:
As he entered, so will he leave;
what benefit is there to the one who toils for the wind? # Pr 11:29; Ecc 1:3
17Moreover, in all his days he eats in darkness, # Ps 127:2
while he is greatly irritated in sickness and anger.
18This is what I have observed to be good and pleasing: to eat and drink and see benefit in all one’s labor # Ecc 2:24 with which he toils under the sun the few days of his life, which God has given to him, for this is his reward. # Ecc 2:10 19Likewise, everyone to whom God has given wealth and possessions, # Ecc 6:2 and the ability to eat from it, and to receive his reward and to rejoice in his labor—this is a gift from God. # Ecc 3:13 20For he will seldom remember the passing days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
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Ecclesiastes 5: MEV
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
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