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Ecclesiastes 5-8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Ecclesiastes 5-8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Reverence, Humility, and Contentment
5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools, for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.[b](A) 2 [c]Never be rash with your mouth nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.(B)
3 For dreams come with many cares, and a fool’s voice with many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you vow.(C) 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it.(D) 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake; why should God be angry at your words and destroy the work of your hands?
7 With many dreams come vanities and a multitude of words,[d] but fear God.(E)
8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and right, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.(F) 9 But all things considered, this is an advantage for a land: a king for a plowed field.[e]
10 The lover of money will not be satisfied with money, nor the lover of wealth with gain. This also is vanity.(G)
11 When goods increase, those who eat them increase, and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
12 Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not let them sleep.(H)
13 There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt,(I) 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. 15 As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil that they may carry away with their hands.(J) 16 This also is a grievous ill: just as they came, so shall they go, and what gain do they have from toiling for the wind?(K) 17 Besides, all their days they eat in darkness, in much anger and sickness and resentment.(L)
18 This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us, for this is our lot.(M) 19 Likewise, all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God.(N) 20 For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.
The Frustration of Desires
6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind:(O) 2 those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill.(P) 3 A man may father a hundred children and live many years, but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.(Q) 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; 5 moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?
7 All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied.(R) 8 For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living?(S) 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.(T)
10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what humans are and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger.(U) 11 The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? 12 For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?(V)
A Disillusioned View of Life
7 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death, than the day of birth.(W)
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of everyone,
and the living will lay it to heart.(X)
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.(Y)
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.(Z)
6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of fools;
this also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise foolish,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.(AA)
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning;
the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.(AB)
9 Do not be quick to anger,
for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.(AC)
10 Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.(AD)
12 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to the one who possesses it.
13 Consider the work of God;
who can make straight what he has made crooked?(AE)
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, and in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that mortals may not find out anything that comes after them.(AF)
The Riddles of Life
15 In my vain life I have seen everything; there are righteous people who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked people who prolong their life in their evildoing.(AG) 16 Do not be too righteous, and do not act too wise; why should you destroy yourself?(AH) 17 Do not be too wicked, and do not be a fool; why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of the one without letting go of the other, for the one who fears God shall succeed with both.
19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise more than ten rulers who are in a city.(AI)
20 Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.(AJ)
21 Do not give heed to everything that people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you; 22 your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.
23 All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.(AK) 24 That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?(AL) 25 I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness.(AM) 26 I found more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, whose heart is nets, whose hands are fetters; one who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.(AN) 27 See, this is what I found, says the Teacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum,(AO) 28 which my mind has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.(AP)
Obey the King and Enjoy Yourself
8 Who is like the wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
Being wise makes one’s face shine,
but arrogance changes one’s face.(AQ)
2 Keep[f] the king’s command, and because of your sacred oath(AR) 3 do not be terrified; go from his presence; do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is powerful, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”(AS) 5 Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way. 6 For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them.(AT) 7 Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be?(AU) 8 No one has power over the wind[g] to restrain the wind[h] or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle, nor does wickedness deliver those who practice it.(AV) 9 All this I observed, applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while one person exercises authority over another to the other’s hurt.(AW)
God’s Ways Are Inscrutable
10 Then I saw the wicked approaching to sacrifice;[i] they go in and out of the holy place, and they boast[j] in the city that they have done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. 12 Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him,(AX) 13 but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.(AY)
14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked and wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.(AZ) 15 So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat and drink and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.(BA)
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, how one’s eyes see sleep neither day nor night, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out.(BB)
Ecclesiastes 5-8
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 5-8
New International Version
Fulfill Your Vow to God
5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.(A)
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.(B)
3 A dream(C) comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool.(D)
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.(E) He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.(F) 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.(G) 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.(H)
Riches Are Meaningless
8 If you see the poor oppressed(I) in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. 9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
11 As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?
12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.(J)
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:(K)
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14 or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.(L)
They take nothing from their toil(M)
that they can carry in their hands.(N)
16 This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart,
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?(O)
17 All their days they eat in darkness,
with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink(P) and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor(Q) under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions,(R) and the ability to enjoy them,(S) to accept their lot(T) and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.(U) 20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.(V)
6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,(W) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.(X)
3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn(Y) child is better off than he.(Z) 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?(AA)
7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.(AB)
8 What advantage have the wise over fools?(AC)
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9 Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.(AD)
10 Whatever exists has already been named,(AE)
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
11 The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days(AF) they pass through like a shadow?(AG) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
Wisdom
7 A good name is better than fine perfume,(AH)
and the day of death better than the day of birth.(AI)
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death(AJ) is the destiny(AK) of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Frustration is better than laughter,(AL)
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.(AM)
5 It is better to heed the rebuke(AN) of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns(AO) under the pot,
so is the laughter(AP) of fools.
This too is meaningless.
7 Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe(AQ) corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience(AR) is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked(AS) in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.(AT)
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days(AU) better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing(AV)
and benefits those who see the sun.(AW)
12 Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
13 Consider what God has done:(AX)
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?(AY)
14 When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.(AZ)
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
15 In this meaningless life(BA) of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.(BB)
16 Do not be overrighteous,
neither be overwise—
why destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overwicked,
and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?(BC)
18 It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God(BD) will avoid all extremes.[b]
20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,(BG)
no one who does what is right and never sins.(BH)
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you(BI) may hear your servant cursing you—
22 for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said,
“I am determined to be wise”(BJ)—
but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound—
who can discover it?(BK)
25 So I turned my mind to understand,
to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things(BL)
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
and the madness of folly.(BM)
26 I find more bitter than death
the woman who is a snare,(BN)
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.(BO)
27 “Look,” says the Teacher,[c](BP) “this is what I have discovered:
“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—
28 while I was still searching
but not finding—
I found one upright man among a thousand,
but not one upright woman(BQ) among them all.
29 This only have I found:
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
8 Who is like the wise?
Who knows the explanation of things?
A person’s wisdom brightens their face
and changes its hard appearance.
Obey the King
2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.(BR) Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?(BS)”
5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm,
and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,(BT)
though a person may be weighed down by misery.
7 Since no one knows the future,
who can tell someone else what is to come?
8 As no one has power over the wind to contain it,
so[d] no one has power over the time of their death.
As no one is discharged in time of war,
so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
9 All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own[e] hurt. 10 Then too, I saw the wicked buried(BU)—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise[f] in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless.
11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. 12 Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better(BV) with those who fear God,(BW) who are reverent before him.(BX) 13 Yet because the wicked do not fear God,(BY) it will not go well with them, and their days(BZ) will not lengthen like a shadow.
14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.(CA) This too, I say, is meaningless.(CB) 15 So I commend the enjoyment of life(CC), because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink(CD) and be glad.(CE) Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom(CF) and to observe the labor that is done on earth(CG)—people getting no sleep day or night— 17 then I saw all that God has done.(CH) No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.(CI)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19.
- Ecclesiastes 7:18 Or will follow them both
- Ecclesiastes 7:27 Or the leader of the assembly
- Ecclesiastes 8:8 Or over the human spirit to retain it, / and so
- Ecclesiastes 8:9 Or to their
- Ecclesiastes 8:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (Aquila); most Hebrew manuscripts and are forgotten
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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