Eccl 5
1
Keep your foot when you go to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better
than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.
2
Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter anything before
God; for God is in heaven, and you upon earth: therefore let your words be few.
3
For a dream comes with a multitude of business, and a fool`s voice with a multitude
of words.
4
When you vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay
that which you vow.
5
Better is it that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
6
Suffer not your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; neither say you before the angel,
that is was an error: wherefore should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the
work of your hands?
7
For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear you
God.
8
If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and
righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high
regards; and there are higher than they.
9
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.
10
He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance,
with increase: this also is vanity.
11
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there
to its owner, save the beholding [of them] with his eyes?
12
The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fullness
of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept by
its owner to his hurt:
14
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he has engendered a son, there is
nothing in his hand.
15
As he came forth from his mother`s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall
take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
16
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and
what profit has he who he labors for the wind?
17
All his days also he eats in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and has sickness and
anger.
18
Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be beautiful is for one to eat and
to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he labors under the sun, all
the days of his life which God has given him: for this is his portion.
19
Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to
eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor-this is the gift
of God.
20
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answers [him] in
the joy of his heart.