1 ¶ Cuando fueres a la casa de Dios, guarda tu pie; y acércate más para oír que para dar el sacrificio de los locos; porque no saben hacer lo que Dios quiere.

Watch your steps as you go to the house of God. Go near and listen but do not give the gift of fools. For they do not know they are sinning.

2 N o te des prisa con tu boca, ni tu corazón se apresure a proferir palabra delante de Dios; porque Dios está en el cielo, y tú sobre la tierra; por tanto, sean pocas tus palabras.

Do not hurry to speak or be in a hurry as you think what to tell God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth. So let your words be few.

3 P orque de la mucha ocupación viene el sueño, y de la multitud de las palabras la voz del loco.

For a dream comes with much work, and the voice of a fool comes with many words.

4 ¶ Cuando a Dios hicieres promesa, no tardes en pagarla; porque no se agrada de los locos. Paga lo que prometieres.

When you make a promise to God, do not be late in paying it, for He is not pleased with fools. Pay what you promise to pay!

5 M ejor es que no prometas, y no que prometas y no pagues.

It is better not to make a promise, than to make a promise and not pay it.

6 N o sueltes tu boca para hacer pecar a tu carne; ni digas delante del ángel, que fue ignorancia. ¿Por qué harás que Dios se aíre a causa de tu voz, y que destruya la obra de tus manos?

Do not let your mouth cause you to sin. And do not say to the one sent from God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry because of what you said, and destroy the work of your hands?

7 P orque los sueños abundan, y las vanidades y las palabras son muchas; mas tú teme a Dios.

For when there are many dreams, there are many empty words. Instead of this, honor God with fear. Money and Honor Are of Little Worth

8 S i violencias de pobres, y extorsión de derecho y de justicia vieres en la provincia, no te maravilles de esta licencia; porque alto está mirando sobre alto, y uno más alto está sobre ellos.

In one part of a land if you see a bad power held over the poor, and what is right and fair and good taken away, do not be surprised by what you see. For one leader watches over another leader, and more important leaders watch over them.

9 ¶ Y mayor altura hay en todas las cosas de la tierra; mas el que sirve al campo es rey.

After all, a country does better with a king in power.

10 E l que ama el dinero, no se saciará de dinero; y el que ama el mucho tener, no sacará fruto. También esto es vanidad.

He who loves money will never have enough money to make him happy. It is the same for the one who loves to get many things. This also is for nothing.

11 C uando los bienes se aumentan, también se aumentan los que los comen. ¿Qué bien, pues, tendrá su dueño, sino verlos con sus ojos?

When there are more good things, there are also more people to eat them. So what does their owner get except to see them with his eyes?

12 D ulce es el sueño del trabajador, coma mucho o coma poco; mas al rico no lo deja dormir la abundancia.

The sleep of the working man is pleasing, if he eats little or much. But the full stomach of the rich man does not let him sleep.

13 H ay otra enfermedad maligna que he visto debajo del sol: las riquezas guardadas por sus dueños para su mal;

There is something very wrong which I have seen under the sun: Riches being kept by the owner and he is hurt by them.

14 l as cuales se pierden en malas ocupaciones, y a los hijos que engendraron nada les queda en la mano.

When those riches are lost because he used them in a wrong way, and he had become the father of a son, there was nothing left for him.

15 C omo salió del vientre de su madre, desnudo, así vuelve, yéndose tal como vino; y nada tiene de su trabajo para llevar en su mano.

A man comes from his mother without clothing, and he will go as he came. He will take nothing from his work that he can carry in his hand.

16 E ste también es un gran mal, que como vino, así haya de volver. ¿Y de qué le aprovechó trabajar al viento?

This also is very wrong: As a man is born, this is the way he will leave. So what does the man get who works for the wind?

17 A demás de esto, todos los días de su vida comerá en tinieblas, con mucho enojo y dolor e ira.

All his life he eats in darkness with much sorrow, sickness and anger.

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 ésta es su parte.

This is what I have seen to be good and right: to eat and to drink and be happy in all the work one does under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him. For this is his reward.

19 A simismo, a todo hombre a quien Dios dio riquezas y hacienda, también le dio facultad para que coma de ellas, y tome su parte, y goce su trabajo; esto es don de Dios.

As for every man to whom God has given riches and many good things, He has also given him the power to eat from them, receive his reward and be happy in his work. This is the gift of God.

20 A l tal, Dios le quitará las congojas comunes a otros; pues Dios le responderá con alegría de su corazón.

For he will not think much about the years of his life, because God keeps him happy in his heart.