1 K eep your foot when you go to the house of God. For to draw near to hear and obey is better than to give the sacrifice of fools too ignorant to know that they are doing evil.

Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.

2 B e not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.

Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

3 F or a dream comes with much business and painful effort, and a fool’s voice with many words.

For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

4 W hen you vow a vow or make a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God has no pleasure in fools (those who witlessly mock Him). Pay what you vow.

When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

5 I t is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

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

6 D o not allow your mouth to cause your body to sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was an error or mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

7 F or in a multitude of dreams there is futility and worthlessness, and ruin in a flood of words. But fear God.

For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.

8 I f you see the oppression of the poor and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in the state or province, do not marvel at the matter. for a higher than the high is observing, and higher ones are over them.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

9 M oreover, the profit of the earth is for all; the king himself is served by the field and in all, a king is an advantage to a land with cultivated fields.

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

10 H e who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance with gain. This also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!

He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

11 W hen goods increase, they who eat them increase also. And what gain is there to their owner except to see them with his eyes?

When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

12 T he sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the fullness of the rich will not let him sleep.

The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

13 T here is a serious and severe evil which I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

14 B ut those riches are lost in a bad venture; and he becomes the father of a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

15 A s came forth from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; and he will take away nothing for all his labor which he can carry in his hand.

As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

16 A nd this also is a serious and severe evil—that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what gain has he who labors for the wind?

This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

17 A ll his days also he eats in darkness, and much sorrow and sickness and wrath are his.

All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

18 B ehold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is for one to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in all the labor in which he labors under the sun all the days which God gives him—for this is his part.

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

19 A lso, every man to whom God has given riches and possessions, and the power to enjoy them and to accept his appointed lot and to rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to 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 answers and corresponds to the joy of his heart.

For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.