Ecclesiastes 5 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 5 ▼
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1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Guard 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. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. Guard 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.
2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. Be 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. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter <i>any</i> thing before God: for God <i>is</i> in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. Do not be quick with your mouth 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. Do 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.
3 As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice <i>is known</i> by multitude of words. For the dream comes through much effort, and the voice of a fool through many words. A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for <i>he hath</i> no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for <i>He takes</i> no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Better <i>is it</i> that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. It is better that you not vow, than vow and not pay. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.
6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? Let 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? Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it <i>was</i> an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? Do not let your speech cause you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger <i>of God</i> that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? Do 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?
7 For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God. For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. For in the multitude of dreams and many words <i>there are</i> also <i>divers</i> vanities: but fear thou God. For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, fear God. Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.
8 If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. If 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. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for <i>he that is</i> higher than the highest regardeth; and <i>there be</i> higher than they. If 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. If 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.
9 The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king <i>himself</i> is served by the field. After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this <i>is</i> also vanity. One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance <i>with its</i> income. This too is futility. Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.
11 When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good <i>is there</i> to the owners thereof, saving the beholding <i>of them</i> with their eyes? When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look <i>at them?</i> As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them?
12 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. The sleep of a labouring man <i>is</i> sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. The sleep of the laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep. The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, There is a sore evil <i>which</i> I have seen under the sun, <i>namely</i>, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. There is a sickening evil <i>which</i> I have seen under the sun: wealth being hoarded by its owner to his detriment. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14 or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on. and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and <i>there is</i> nothing in his hand. When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. As 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. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. Everyone 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.
16 This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? This 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? And this also <i>is</i> a sore evil, <i>that</i> in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person is born, so will he die. What then is the advantage for him who labors for the wind? This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger. Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. All his days also he eateth in darkness, and <i>he hath</i> much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. All his life <i>he</i> also eats in darkness with great irritation, sickness, and anger. All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him— for this is his lot. Behold, 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. Behold <i>that</i> which I have seen: <i>it is</i> good and comely <i>for one</i> to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it <i>is</i> his portion. Here 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 labors under the sun <i>during</i> the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. This 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.
19 Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God. Everyone 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. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this <i>is</i> the gift of God. Furthermore, as for every person to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also given him the opportunity to enjoy them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. Moreover, 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.
20 For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth <i>him</i> in the joy of his heart. For he will not often call to mind the years of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
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