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 thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do 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 thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy 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 cometh with a multitude of business, and a fool's voice with a multitude of 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 thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

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

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest 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?

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy 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 the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou 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 thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

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.

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

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

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 are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of 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 eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to 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 grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:

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

and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, 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 he came forth from 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 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 grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth 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 eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and hath sickness and wrath.

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, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

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.

Every 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 labor-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 answereth him in the joy of his heart.