Ecclesiastes 5:3 A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.

◄ Ecclesiastes 5:3 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.

English Standard Version
For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.

New American Standard Bible
For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

King James Bible
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For dreams result from much work and a fool's voice from many words.

International Standard Version
Too many worries lead to nightmares, and a fool is known from talking too much.

American Standard Version
For a dream cometh with a multitude of business, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Dreams follow many cares: and in many words shall be found folly.

Darby Bible Translation
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.

Young's Literal Translation
For the dream hath come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

5:1-3 Address thyself to the worship of God, and take time to compose thyself for it. Keep thy thoughts from roving and wandering: keep thy affections from running out toward wrong objects. We should avoid vain repetitions; copious prayers are not here condemned, but those that are unmeaning. How often our wandering thoughts render attendance on Divine ordinances little better than the sacrifice of fools! Many words and hasty ones, used in prayer, show folly in the heart, low thoughts of God, and careless thoughts of our own souls.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. As much "business," engrossing the mind, gives birth to incoherent "dreams," so many words, uttered inconsiderately in prayer, give birth to and betray "a fool's speech" (Ec 10:14), [Holden and Weiss]. But Ec 5:7 implies that the "dream" is not a comparison, but the vain thoughts of the fool (sinner, Ps 73:20), arising from multiplicity of (worldly) "business." His "dream" is that God hears him for his much speaking (Mt 6:7), independently of the frame of mind [English Version and Maurer].

fool's voice—answers to "dream" in the parallel; it comes by the many "words" flowing from the fool's "dream."