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.

Cuando vayas a la casa de Dios, guarda tu pie. Acércate más para oír que para ofrecer el sacrificio de los necios, quienes no saben que hacen mal.

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.

No te des prisa a abrir tu boca, ni tu corazón se apresure a proferir palabra delante de Dios, porque Dios está en el cielo, y tú sobre la tierra. Sean, por tanto, pocas tus palabras.

3 F or a dream comes with much work, and the voice of a fool comes with many words.

Porque de las muchas ocupaciones vienen los sueños, y de la multitud de palabras la voz del necio.

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!

Cuando a Dios hagas promesa, no tardes en cumplirla, porque él no se complace en los insensatos. Cumple lo que prometes.

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

Mejor es no prometer que prometer y no cumplir.

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?

No dejes que tu boca te haga pecar, ni delante del ángel digas que fue por ignorancia. ¿Por qué hacer que Dios se enoje a causa de tus palabras y destruya la obra de tus manos?

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

Pues, donde abundan los sueños abundan también las vanidades y las muchas palabras. Pero tú, teme a Dios. La vanidad de la vida

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.

Si ves en la provincia que se oprime a los pobres y se pervierte el derecho y la justicia, no te maravilles: porque sobre uno alto vigila otro más alto, y uno más alto está sobre ambos.

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

El provecho de la tierra es para todos y el rey mismo está al servicio del campo.

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.

El que ama el dinero no se saciará de dinero; y el que ama la riqueza no sacará fruto. También esto es vanidad.

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?

Cuando aumentan los bienes, aumentan también quienes los consumen. ¿Qué beneficio, pues, tendrá su dueño, aparte de verlos con sus propios ojos?

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.

Dulce es el sueño del trabajador, coma mucho o coma poco; pero al rico no le deja dormir la abundancia.

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.

Hay un mal doloroso que he visto debajo del sol: las riquezas guardadas por sus dueños para su propio mal,

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.

las cuales se pierden por mal empleadas, y al hijo que ellos engendraron nada le queda en la mano.

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.

Desnudo salió del vientre de su madre y así volverá; se irá tal como vino, sin ningún provecho de su trabajo que llevarse en la mano.

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?

También eso es un gran mal: que tal como vino se haya de volver. ¿Y de qué le aprovechó trabajar en vano?

17 A ll his life he eats in darkness with much sorrow, sickness and anger.

Además de esto, todos los días de su vida comerá en tinieblas, con mucho afán, dolor y miseria.

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.

He aquí, pues, el bien que he visto: que lo bueno es comer y beber, y gozar de los frutos de todo el trabajo con que uno se fatiga debajo del sol todos los días de la vida que Dios le ha dado, porque ésa es su recompensa.

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.

Asimismo, a todo hombre a quien Dios da bienes y riquezas, le da también facultad para que coma de ellas, tome su parte y goce de su trabajo. Esto es don de Dios.

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

Porque así no se acuerda mucho de los días de su vida, pues Dios le llena de alegría el corazón.