Eclesiastés 5
Reina-Valera Antigua
5 CUANDO fueres á la casa de Dios, guarda tu pie; y acércate más para oir que para dar el sacrificio de los necios: porque no saben que hacen mal.
2 No te des priesa con tu boca, ni tu corazón se apresure á proferir palabra delante de Dios; porque Dios está en el cielo, y tú sobre la tierra: por tanto, sean pocas tus palabras.
3 Porque de la mucha ocupación viene el sueño, y de la multitud de las palabras la voz del necio.
4 Cuando á Dios hicieres promesa, no tardes en pagarla; porque no se agrada de los insensatos. Paga lo que prometieres.
5 Mejor es que no prometas, que no que prometas y no pagues.
6 No sueltes tu boca para hacer pecar á tu carne; ni digas delante del ángel, que fué ignorancia. ¿Por qué harás que Dios se aire á causa de tu voz, y que destruya la obra de tus manos?
7 Donde los sueños son en multitud, también lo son las vanidades y muchas las palabras; mas tú teme á Dios.
8 Si violencias de pobres, y extorsión de derecho y de justicia vieres en la porvincia, no te maravilles de esta licencia; porque alto está mirando sobre alto, y uno más alto está sobre ellos.
9 Además el provecho de la tierra es para todos: el rey mismo está sujeto á los campos.
10 El que ama el dinero, no se hartará de dinero; y el que ama el mucho tener, no sacará fruto. También esto es vanidad.
11 Cuando los bienes se aumentan, también se aumentan sus comedores. ¿Qué bien, pues, tendrá su dueño, sino ver los con sus ojos?
12 Dulce es el sueño del trabajador, ora coma mucho ó poco; mas al rico no le deja dormir la hartura.
13 Hay una trabajosa enfermedad que he visto debajo del sol: las riquezas guardadas de sus dueños para su mal;
14 Las cuales se pierden en malas ocupaciones, y á los hijos que engendraron nada les queda en la mano.
15 Como salió del vientre de su madre, desnudo, así se vuelve, tornando como vino; y nada tuvo de su trabajo para llevar en su mano.
16 Este también es un gran mal, que como vino, así haya de volver. ¿Y de qué le aprovechó trabajar al viento?
17 Demás de esto, todos los días de su vida comerá en tinieblas, con mucho enojo y dolor y miseria.
18 He aquí pues el bien que yo he visto: Que lo bueno es comer y beber, y gozar uno del bien de todo su trabajo con que se fatiga debajo del sol, todos los días de su vida que Dios le ha dado; porque esta es su parte.
19 Asimismo, á todo hombre á quien Dios dió riquezas y hacienda, y le dió también facultad para que coma de ellas, y tome su parte, y goce su trabajo; esto es don de Dios.
20 Porque no se acordará mucho de los días de su vida; pues Dios le responderá con alegría de su corazón.
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
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
