Ecclesiastes 5

Rash Vows

5:1¹ Be careful what you do² when you go to the temple³ of God;

draw near to listen⁴ rather than to offer a sacrifice⁵ like fools,⁶

for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.

5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God,

for God is in heaven and you are on earth!

Therefore, let your words be few.

5:3 Just as dreams come when there are many cares,⁷

so⁸ the rash vow⁹ of a fool occurs¹⁰ when there are many words.

5:4 When you make a vow¹¹ to God, do not delay in paying it.¹²

For God¹³ takes no pleasure in fools:

Pay what you vow!

5:5 It is better for you not to vow

than to vow and not pay it.¹⁴

5:6 Do not let your mouth cause you¹⁵ to sin,

and do not tell the priest,¹⁶ “It was a mistake!”¹⁷

Why make God angry at you¹⁸

so that he would destroy the work of your hands?”

5:7 Just as there is futility in many dreams,

so also in many words.¹⁹

Therefore, fear God!

Government Corruption

5:8 If you see the extortion²⁰ of the poor,

or the perversion²¹ of justice and fairness in the government,²²

do not be astonished by the matter.

For the high official is watched by a higher official,²³

and there are higher ones over them!²⁴

5:9 The produce of the land is seized²⁵ by all of them,

even the king is served²⁶ by the fields.²⁷

Covetousness

5:10 The one who loves money²⁸ will never be satisfied with money,²⁹

he who loves wealth³⁰ will never be satisfied³¹ with his³² income.

This also is futile.

5:11 When someone’s³³ prosperity³⁴ increases, those who consume it also increase;

so what does its owner³⁵ gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?³⁶

5:12 The sleep of the laborer is pleasant – whether he eats little or much –

but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life

5:13 Here is³⁷ a misfortune³⁸ on earth³⁹ that I have seen:

Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

5:14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck;⁴⁰

although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.⁴¹

5:15 Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return as he came,

and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.

5:16 This is another misfortune:⁴²

Just as he came, so will he go.

What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

5:17 Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life,⁴³

and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.

Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor

5:18 I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people:⁴⁴

to eat and drink,⁴⁵ and find enjoyment in all their⁴⁶ hard work⁴⁷ on earth⁴⁸

during the few days of their life which God has given them,

for this is their reward.⁴⁹

5:19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions,

he has also given him the ability⁵⁰

to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil;

these things⁵¹ are the gift of God.

5:20 For he does not think⁵² much about the fleeting⁵³ days of his life

because God keeps him preoccupied⁵⁴ with the joy he derives from his activity.⁵⁵

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