| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. | 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. |
| 2Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. | 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. |
| 3A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. | 3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. |
| 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. | 4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. |
| 5It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. | 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. |
| 6Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? | 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? |
| 7Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God. | 7For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. |
| 8If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. | 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. |
| 9The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. | 9But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. |
| 10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. | 10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. |
| 11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? | 11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? |
| 12The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. | 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. |
| 13I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, | 13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, |
| 14or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. | 14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. |
| 15Everyone comes naked from their mother's womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. | 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. |
| 16This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? | 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? |
| 17All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. | 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. |
| 18This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them--for this is their lot. | 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. |
| 19Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil--this is a gift of God. | 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. |
| 20They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. | 20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | 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. |
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