| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 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. | 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong. |
| 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. | 2Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. |
| 3For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words. | 3For dreams result from much work and a fool's voice from many words. |
| 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! | 4When you make a vow to God, don't delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. |
| 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. | 5Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. |
| 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? | 6Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? |
| 7For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God. | 7For many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God. |
| 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. | 8If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don't be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them. |
| 9After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land. | 9The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field. |
| 10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. | 10The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile. |
| 11When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on? | 11When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes? |
| 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. | 12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep. |
| 13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt. | 13There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. |
| 14When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. | 14That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed. |
| 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. | 15As he came from his mother's womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands. |
| 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? | 16This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain who struggles for the wind? |
| 17Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger. | 17What is more, he eats in darkness all his days, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger. |
| 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. | 18Here is what I have seen to be good: it is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward. |
| 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. | 19God has also given riches and wealth to every man, and He has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God, |
| 20For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. | 20for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. |
| 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 | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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