Ecclesiastes 5
1599 Geneva Bible
5 1 Not to speak lightly, chiefly in God’s matters. 9 The covetous can never have enough. 11 The laborer’s sleep is sweet. 14 Man when he dieth, taketh nothing with him. 18 To live joyfully, and with a contented mind, is the gift of God.
1 Be not [a]rash with thy mouth, nor let thine heart be hasty to utter a thing before God: for God is in the heavens, and thou art on the earth: therefore let thy words be [b]few.
2 For as a dream cometh by the multitude of business: so the voice of a fool is in the multitude of words.
3 (A)When thou hast vowed a vow to God, defer not to pay it: for he delighteth not in fools: pay therefore that thou hast [c]vowed.
4 It is better that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay it.
5 Suffer not thy mouth to make thy [d]flesh to sin: neither say before the [e]Angel, that this is ignorance: wherefore shall God be angry by thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
6 For in the multitude of dreams, and vanities are also many words: but fear thou God.
7 If in a country thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the defrauding of judgment and justice, be not astonied at the matter: for he that is [f]higher than the highest, regardeth, and there be higher than they.
8 And the [g]abundance of the earth is over all: the king [h]also consisteth by the field that is tilled.
9 He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver, and he that loveth riches, shall be without the fruit thereof: this is also vanity.
10 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good cometh to the owners thereof, but the beholding thereof with their eyes?
11 The sleep of him that travaileth, is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the [i]satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
12 There is an evil sickness that I have seen under the sun: to wit, riches [j]reserved to the owners thereof for their evil.
13 And these riches perish by evil travail, and he begetteth a son, and in his [k]hand is nothing.
14 (B)As he came forth of his mother’s belly, he shall return naked to go as he came, and shall bear away nothing of his labor, which he hath caused to pass by his hand.
15 And this also is an evil sickness, that in all points as he came, so shall he go, and what profit hath he that he hath travailed for the [l]wind?
16 Also all his days he eateth in [m]darkness with much grief, and in his sorrow and anger.
17 Behold then, what I have seen good, that it is comely to [n]eat, and to drink, and to take pleasure in all his labor, wherein he travaileth under the sun, the whole number of the days of his life, which God giveth him: for this is his portion.
18 Also to every man to whom God hath given riches and treasures, and giveth him power to eat thereof, and to take his part, and to enjoy his labor: this is the gifts of God.
19 Surely he will not much remember the days of his [o]life, because God answereth to the joy of his heart.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:1 Either in vowing or in praying: meaning, that we should use all reverence to Godward.
- Ecclesiastes 5:1 He heareth thee not for thy many words’ sake, or often repetitions, but considereth thy faith and servant mind.
- Ecclesiastes 5:3 He speaketh of vows, which are approved by God’s word, and serve to his glory.
- Ecclesiastes 5:5 Cause not thyself to sin by vowing rashly: as they do which make a vow to live unmarried, and such like.
- Ecclesiastes 5:5 That is, before God’s messenger, when he shall examine thy doing, as though thy ignorance should be a just excuse.
- Ecclesiastes 5:7 Meaning, that God will redress these things, and therefore we must depend upon him.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 The earth is to be preferred above all things which appertain to this life.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 Kings and Princes cannot maintain their estate without tillage, which thing commendeth the excellency of tillage.
- Ecclesiastes 5:11 That is, his great abundance of riches, or the surfeiting, which cometh by his great feeding.
- Ecclesiastes 5:12 When covetous men heap up riches, which turn to their destruction.
- Ecclesiastes 5:13 He doth not enjoy his father’s riches.
- Ecclesiastes 5:15 Meaning, in vain, and without profit.
- Ecclesiastes 5:16 In affliction and grief of mind.
- Ecclesiastes 5:17 Read Eccl. 3:22.
- Ecclesiastes 5:19 He will take no great thought for the pains that he hath endured in time past.
Ecclesiastes 5
English Standard Version
Fear God
5 [a] (A)Guard your steps when you go to (B)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to (C)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 [b] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore (D)let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with (E)many words.
4 When (F)you vow a vow to God, (G)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. (H)Pay what you vow. 5 (I)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you[c] into sin, and do not say before (J)the messenger[d] that it was (K)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;[e] but[f] (L)God is the one you must fear.
The Vanity of Wealth and Honor
8 (M)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, (N)do not be amazed at the matter, (O)for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.[g]
10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13 (P)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 (Q)As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what (R)gain is there to him who (S)toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he (T)eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
18 Behold, what I have seen to be (U)good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment[h] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his (V)lot. 19 Everyone also to whom (W)God has given (X)wealth and possessions (Y)and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is (Z)the gift of God. 20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Hebrew
- Ecclesiastes 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Hebrew
- Ecclesiastes 5:6 Hebrew your flesh
- Ecclesiastes 5:6 Or angel
- Ecclesiastes 5:7 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verse 10 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 5:7 Or For when dreams and vanities increase, words also grow many; but
- Ecclesiastes 5:9 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or and see good
Ecclesiastes 5
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Caution in God’s Presence
5 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. 2 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) 3 Just as dreams accompany much labour, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words.(C) 4 When you make a vow to God,(D) don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfil what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfil it.(E) 6 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? 7 For many dreams bring futility; so do many words.(H) Therefore, fear God.
The Realities of Wealth
8 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. 9 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
- 5:9 Hb obscure
Ecclesiastes 5
King James Version
5 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
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