1 W atch 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.

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 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.

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 with much work, and the voice of a fool comes with 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 promise to God, do not be late in paying it, for He is not pleased with fools. Pay what you promise to pay!

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

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6 D o 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?

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

For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.

8 I n 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.

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 A fter all, a country does better with a king in power.

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

10 H e 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.

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

11 W hen 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?

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 the working man is pleasing, if he eats little or much. But the full stomach of the rich man does not let him 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 something very wrong which I have seen under the sun: Riches being kept by the owner and he is hurt by them.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:

14 W hen 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.

and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

15 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.

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 T his 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?

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

All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and hath sickness and wrath.

18 T his 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.

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 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.

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 think much about the years of his life, because God keeps him happy in his heart.

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