1 K eep 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.

Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

2 B e 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.

Do not be hasty in word or 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 words be few.

3 F or a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

4 W hen thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

5 B etter is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

6 S uffer 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?

Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

7 F or in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.

8 I f 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.

If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.

9 M oreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land. The Folly of Riches

10 H e that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.

11 W hen 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?

When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on?

12 T he 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.

The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.

13 T here is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.

14 B ut those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.

15 A s 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.

As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.

16 A nd 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?

This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?

17 A ll his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger.

18 B ehold 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.

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.

19 E very 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.

Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

20 F or he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.