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Ecclesiastes 5
Legacy Standard Bible

Fear God

5 [a](A)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the (B)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 [b]Do not be (C)hasty with your mouth or [c]impulsive in your heart to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven but you are on the earth; therefore let your (D)words be few. 3 For the dream comes through abundant endeavor and the voice of a (E)fool through abundant words.

4 When you (F)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. (G)Pay what you vow! 5 It is (H)better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a (I)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and wreak destruction on the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and vanities are many words. Rather, [d](J)fear God.

The Vanity of Riches

8 If you see (K)oppression of the poor and (L)robbery of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (M)astonished over the [e]matter; for a lofty one keeps watch over another lofty one, and there are loftier ones over them. 9 But the advantage of the land in everything is this—a king committed to a cultivated field.

10 (N)He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its produce. This too is [f]vanity. 11 (O)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the success to their masters except to look on with their eyes? 12 The sleep of the laboring man is (P)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the satisfaction of the rich man does not [g]allow him to sleep.

13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: (Q)riches being [h]hoarded by their master to his own evil demise. 14 And those riches were lost through a bad endeavor; and he became the father of a son, but there was nothing in his hand for him. 15 (R)As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will (S)carry nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can bring in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil—exactly as a man came, so will he go. So (T)what is the advantage to him who (U)labors for the wind? 17 Also, all his days (V)he eats in darkness with (W)much vexation, and his sickness and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be (X)good, which is [i]beautiful: to eat, to drink, and to see good in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few days of his life which God has given him; for this is his (Y)portion. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom (Z)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (AA)empowered him to eat from them and to take up his portion and be glad in his labor; this is the (AB)gift of God. 20 For he will not remember much the days of his life because (AC)God allows [j]him to occupy himself with the gladness of his heart.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Heb
  2. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Heb
  3. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Lit hurry your heart
  4. Ecclesiastes 5:7 Or reverence
  5. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit delight
  6. Ecclesiastes 5:10 Or futility
  7. Ecclesiastes 5:12 Or grant him rest
  8. Ecclesiastes 5:13 Lit guarded
  9. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or appropriate
  10. Ecclesiastes 5:20 As in Gr
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Ecclesiastes 5
New American Standard Bible

Your Attitude toward God

5 [a](A)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the (B)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 [b]Do not be (C)quick with your mouth or [c]impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your (D)words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much [d]effort, and the voice of a (E)fool through many words.

4 When you (F)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. (G)Pay what you vow! 5 It is (H)better that you not vow, than vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your [e]speech cause [f]you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a (I)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, [g](J)fear God.

8 If you see (K)oppression of the poor and (L)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (M)shocked at the [h]sight; for one [i]official watches over another [j]official, and there are higher [k]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.

The Foolishness of Riches

10 (N)One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. 11 (O)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [l]look at them? 12 The sleep of the laborer is (P)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the [m]full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.

13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: (Q)wealth being [n]hoarded by its owner to his detriment. 14 When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing [o]to support him. 15 (R)As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will (S)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person [p]is born, so will he [q]die. (T)What then is the advantage for him who (U)labors for the wind? 17 All his life (V)he also eats in darkness with (W)great irritation, sickness, and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be (X)good and [r]fitting: to eat, to drink, and [s]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few [t]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [u](Y)reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom (Z)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (AA)given him the opportunity to [v]enjoy them and to receive his [w]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the (AB)gift of God. 20 For he will not often call to mind the [x]years of his life, because (AC)God keeps [y]him busy with the joy of his heart.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Heb
  2. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Heb
  3. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Lit hurry your heart
  4. Ecclesiastes 5:3 Lit task
  5. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Lit mouth
  6. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Lit your body
  7. Ecclesiastes 5:7 Or revere
  8. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit delight
  9. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
  10. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
  11. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit ones
  12. Ecclesiastes 5:11 Lit see with their eyes
  13. Ecclesiastes 5:12 Lit satiety
  14. Ecclesiastes 5:13 Lit guarded
  15. Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit in his hand
  16. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit comes
  17. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit go
  18. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit beautiful
  19. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit see good
  20. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or days
  21. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or share
  22. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Lit eat from it
  23. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Or share
  24. Ecclesiastes 5:20 Or days
  25. Ecclesiastes 5:20 As in LXX
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