Ecclesiastes 5

1GuardH8104 your stepsH7272 whenH834 you goH1980 toH413 the houseH1004 of GodH430. Draw nearH7126 to listenH8085 rather than to offerH5414 the sacrificeH2077 of foolsH3684, whoH3588 do notH369 know thatH3045 they doH6213 wrongH7451. 2Do notH408 be quickH926 toH5921 speakH6310, and do notH408 be hastyH4116 in your heartH3820 to utterH3318 a wordH1697 beforeH6440 GodH430. ForH3588 GodH430 is in heavenH8064 and youH859 are onH5921 earthH776. SoH5921H3651 let your wordsH1697 beH1961 fewH4592.

4WhenH834 you makeH5087 a vowH5088 to GodH430, do notH408 delayH309 in fulfilling itH7999, becauseH3588 He takes noH369 pleasureH2656 in foolsH3684. FulfillH7999 your vowH5087. 5It is betterH2896 notH3808 to vowH5087 than to make a vowH5087 and notH3808 fulfill itH7999.

6Do notH408 letH5414 your mouthH6310 cause your fleshH1320 to sinH2398, and do notH408 tellH559H6440 the messengerH43971 thatH3588 your vow was a mistakeH7684. WhyH4100 should GodH430 be angryH7107 withH5921 your wordsH6963 and destroyH2254 the workH4639 of your handsH3027? 7For asH3588 manyH7230 dreamsH2472 bring futilityH1892, so do manyH7235 wordsH1697. ThereforeH3588, fearH3372 GodH430.

The Futility of Wealth

(Psalm 49:1–20)

8IfH518 you seeH7200 the oppressionH6233 of the poorH7326 and the denialH1498 of justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6664 in the provinceH4082, do notH408 be astonishedH8539 atH5921 the matterH2656; forH3588 one officialH1364H5921 is watched byH8104 a superiorH1364, and others higher stillH1364 are over themH5921. 9The produceH3504 of the earthH776 is taken by allH3605H1931; the king himselfH4428 profitsH5647 from the fieldsH7704.

10He who lovesH157 moneyH3701 is neverH3808 satisfiedH7646 by moneyH3701, and he whoH4310 lovesH157 wealthH1995 is neverH3808 satisfied by incomeH8393. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892. 11When good thingsH2896 increaseH7235, so doH7231 those who consume themH398; what thenH4100 is the profitH3788 to the ownerH1167, exceptH3588H518 to behold themH7207 with his eyesH5869?

12The sleepH8142 of the workerH5647 is sweetH4966, whetherH518 he eatsH398 littleH4592 orH518 muchH7235, but the abundanceH7647 of the rich manH6223 permitsH5117 him noH369 sleepH3462.

13There isH3426 a grievousH2470 evilH7451 I have seenH7200 underH8478 the sunH8121: wealthH6239 hoardedH8104 to the harmH7451 of its ownerH1167, 14orH1931 wealthH6239 lostH6 in a failedH7451 ventureH6045, so when that man hasH3205 a sonH1121 there is nothingH369 to pass onH3027H3972.

15AsH834 a man cameH3318 from his mother’sH517 wombH990, so he will departH1980 againH7725, nakedH6174 as he arrivedH935. He takesH5375 nothingH3972H3808 for his laborH5999 to carryH1980 in his handsH3027. 16ThisH2090 tooH1571 is a grievousH2470 afflictionH7451: Exactly asH3605H5980 a man is bornH935, soH3651 he will departH1980. WhatH4100 does he gainH3504 as he toilsH5998 for the windH7307? 17MoreoverH1571, allH3605 his daysH3117 he eatsH398 in darknessH2822, with muchH7235 sorrowH3708, sicknessH2483, and angerH7110.

18HereH2009 is whatH834 IH589 have seenH7200 to be goodH2896 and fittingH3303: to eatH398 and drinkH8354, and to findH7200 satisfactionH2896 in allH3605 the laborH5999 one doesH5998 underH8478 the sunH8121 during the fewH4557 daysH3117 of lifeH2416 thatH834 GodH430 has givenH5414 him—forH3588 thisH1931 is his lotH2506.

19FurthermoreH1571, GodH430 has givenH5414 richesH6239 and wealthH5233 to everyH3605 manH120, and He has enabled himH7980 to enjoy themH398H4480, to acceptH5375 his lotH2506, and to rejoiceH8055 in his laborH5999. ThisH2090 is a giftH4991 from GodH430H1931. 20ForH3588 a man seldomH3808H7235 considersH2142 the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416, becauseH3588 GodH430 keeps him occupiedH6031 with the joyH8057 of his heartH3820.