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(4:17) Keep thy footing when thou goest to the Bais HaElohim, and be more ready to listen than to give the zevach of kesilim, for they have no da’as that they do rah.

(5:1) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine lev be hasty to utter any thing before HaElohim; for HaElohim is in Shomayim, and thou upon ha’aretz; therefore let thy dvarim be few.

(5:2) As by a multitude of cares cometh a chalom, so by a multitude of dvarim cometh the kol kesil (the voice of the fool).

(5:3) When thou vowest a neder unto Elohim, defer not to pay it; for Hashem hath no pleasure in kesilim; pay that which thou hast vowed.

(5:4) Better it is that thou shouldest not make a neder, than that thou shouldest vow and not fulfill the neder.

(5:5) Suffer not thy mouth to lead thy basar into chet (sin); neither say thou before the Malach [of G-d], that it was a mistake. Wherefore should HaElohim be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

(5:6) For in the multitude of chalomot and many dvarim there are also divers havalim [see 1:2]; but fear thou HaElohim.

(5:7) If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of mishpat and tzedek in a province, marvel not at the matter; for he that is higher watches over him that is high; and there be higher than they.

(5:8) Moreover the profit of eretz is for all; Melech himself is served by the sadeh.

10 (5:9) He that loveth kesef shall never have enough kesef; nor shall he that loveth abundance have enough increase; this also is hevel.

11 (5:10) When hatovah (good things) increase, they are increased that consume them; and what kishron (useful result) is there to the ba’al (owner) thereof, except as an onlooker?

12 (5:11) The sleep of the oved (working man) is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the oisher (rich man) will not permit him to sleep.

13 (5:12) There is a grievous ra’ah which I have seen under the shemesh; osher (riches) hoarded by the ba’al thereof to his hurt;

14 (5:13) The same osher (riches) perish by an evil event and he begetteth a ben; thus this one hath nothing in his hand.

15 (5:14) As he came forth of the womb of his Em (mother), arom (naked) shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his amal (labor), which he may carry away in his hand.

16 (5:15) And this also is a grievous evil, that in every respect as he came, just so shall he go; and what profit hath he that hath toiled for the ruach (wind)?

17 (5:16) All his yamim also he eateth in choshech, and he hath much ka’as (grief, vexation) and sickness and anger.

18 (5:17) Hinei I have seen it is tov and yafeh for one to eat and to drink, and to find tovah in all his amal (labor) that he toils under the shemesh all the few days of his life, which HaElohim giveth him; for it is his chelek.

19 (5:18) Also kol ha’adam to whom HaElohim hath given osher and possessions, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his chelek, and to rejoice in his amal; this is the gift of Elohim.

20 (5:19) For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because HaElohim keeps him occupied with simchat libbo (gladness of his heart).

(A) [a] Не прибързвай с устата си и сърцето ти да не бърза да изговаря думи пред Господа. Защото Бог е на небето, а ти – на земята. Затуй думите ти да бъдат малко. И както сънища идват от много грижи, така по многото слова се познава гласът на глупеца. (B)(C)Ако си дал оброк пред Бога, не се бави да го изпълниш – Той не благоволява към глупци. Каквото си обрекъл – изпълни го. По-добре е да не даваш обети, отколкото да даваш и да не изпълняваш. Не позволявай на устата си да вкарва в грях плътта ти и не говори пред Божия посланик: „От недоглеждане е.“ Защо навличаш с думите си Божия гняв, та да погуби Той делото на твоите ръце? (D)И ето: подобно на много сънища, и многото думи са суетни. Но ти благоговей пред Бога.

(E)Видиш ли по земята насилие над бедняк и нарушение на съд и на правда, не се удивлявай. Защото над високия бди по-висок, а пък над тях – още по-висок. При все това предимство за една страна е цар, който полага грижи за нея.

Отношение към богатството

Който обича сребро, няма да се насити на сребро; който обича богатство, няма полза от него. И това е също суета. 10 (F)Умножат ли се благата, умножават се и тези, които ги използват. Каква е ползата за притежателя, освен да гледа само с очите си? 11 Дали е ял достатъчно или оскъдно, сладък е сънят за онзи, който полага труд, а пък богатият не мигва от преяждане.

12 Съгледах тежко зло под слънцето – богатство, събирано от притежателя му за негова вреда. 13 Пропада то от случай лош и ето че роди се син, а празна е ръката му. 14 (G)И както е излязъл гол от майчина утроба, гол ще се върне, както е дошъл; и нищо той няма да вземе от изнурителния си труд, нищо, което би могъл да отнесе в ръка. 15 Това е тежко зло: както е дошъл, така си и отива. Каква е ползата от него, щом напразно се е трудил? 16 А цял живот той е ял на тъмно, сред много скърби, болести и ядове.

17 И ето какво съзирам за добро: приятно е да се яде и пие – наслада от благата на целия му труд, с който някой се е трудил под слънцето през всички дни на живота си, които Бог е отредил за него; нали това е негова награда? 18 И ако Бог е дал на някого богатство и блага и власт да ги използва, да получава награда и наслада от труда си – това е дар от Бога. 19 Бог му дарява весело сърце, защото няма дълго да помни дните на живота си.

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 В Цариградската Библия 5:1 сл. е 5:2 сл.

Caution in God’s Presence

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do,(A) for they ignorantly do wrong. Do 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.(B) Just as dreams accompany much labour, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words.(C) When you make a vow to God,(D) don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfil what you vow. Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfil it.(E) Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you,(F) and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake.(G) Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? For many dreams bring futility; so do many words.(H) Therefore, fear God.

The Realities of Wealth

If you see oppression of the poor(I) and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation,(J) because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them. The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field.[a](K)

10 The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile. 11 When 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? 12 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep.

13 There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.(L) 14 That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed. 15 As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came;(M) he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands. 16 This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain(N) who struggles for the wind?(O) 17 What is more, he eats in darkness all his days,(P) with much frustration, sickness, and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be good:(Q) It is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labour one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward.(R) 19 Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth,(S) he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labour.(T) This is a gift of God,(U) 20 for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

Footnotes

  1. 5:9 Hb obscure