| English Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. | 1Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. |
| 2Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. | 2Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. |
| 3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. | 3For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words. |
| 4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. | 4When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! |
| 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. | 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. |
| 6Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? | 6Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? |
| 7For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. | 7For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God. |
| 8If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. | 8If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. |
| 9But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. | 9After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land. |
| 10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. | 10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. |
| 11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? | 11When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on? |
| 12Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. | 12The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. |
| 13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, | 13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt. |
| 14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. | 14When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. |
| 15As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. | 15As he had come naked from his mother's womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. |
| 16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? | 16This also is a grievous evil-- exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? |
| 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. | 17Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger. |
| 18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. | 18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. |
| 19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. | 19Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. |
| 20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. | 20For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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