Ecclesiastes 5

Fear God, Keep Your Vows

5Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.H8104H7272H3212H1004H430H7138H8085H5414H2077H3684H3045H6213H74512Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.H926H6310H3820H4116H3318H1697H6440H430H430H8064H776H1697H45923For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool's voice is known by his many words.H2472H935H7230H6045H3684H6963H7230H16974When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—H5087H5088H430H309H7999H2656H3684H7999H50875Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.H2896H5087H5087H79996Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?H5414H6310H1320H2398H559H6440H4397H7684H430H7107H6963H2254H4639H30277For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.H7230H2472H7235H1697H1892H3372H430

The Vanity of Gain and Honor

8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.H7200H6233H7326H1499H4941H6664H4082H8539H2656H1364H1364H8104H1364H59219Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.H3504H776H4428H5647H770410He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.H157H3701H7646H3701H157H1995H8393H189211When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes?H2896H7235H7231H398H3788H1167H518H7207H7212H586912The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.H8142H5647H4966H398H4592H7235H7647H6223H3240H346213There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.H3426H2470H7451H7200H8121H6239H8104H1167H745114But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.H6239H6H7451H6045H3205H1121H3972H302715As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand.H3318H517H990H6174H7725H3212H935H5375H3972H5999H3212H302716And this also is a severe evil—Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?H2090H2470H7451H5980H935H3212H3504H5998H730717All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.H3117H398H2822H7235H3707H7110H248318Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.H7200H2896H3303H398H8354H7200H2896H5999H5998H8121H4557H3117H2416H430H5414H250619As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.H120H430H5414H6239H5233H7980H398H5375H2506H8055H5999H2090H4991H43020For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.H7235H2142H3117H2416H430H6031H8057H3820