1 W alk 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.

Keep 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.

2 D o 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.

Be 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.

3 F or a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.

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

4 W hen you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—

When 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.

5 B etter not to vow than to vow and not pay.

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

6 D o 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?

Do 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?

7 F or in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. The Vanity of Gain and Honor

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

8 I f 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.

If 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.

9 M oreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

Moreover, 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.

10 H e who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

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

11 W hen goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes?

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

12 T he 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.

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

13 T here is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.

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

14 B ut those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.

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

15 A s 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.

As 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.

16 A nd 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?

And 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?

17 A ll his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.

All his days also he eats in darkness, and much sorrow and sickness and wrath are his.

18 H ere 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.

Behold, 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.

19 A s 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.

Also, 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.

20 F or he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answers and corresponds to the joy of his heart.