Ecclesiastes 5 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 5 ▼
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1 Keep your feet when you go to a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil. 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. 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 cause your mouth to hurry, and do not let your heart hurry to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and you on the earth, therefore 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. 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 For the dream has come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.
4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which you vow—complete. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure 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 Better that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not complete. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.
6 Do not permit your mouth to cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger that it [is] ignorance. Why is God angry because of your voice and has destroyed 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? 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 in the abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear God. For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.
8 If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness you see in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones [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 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 And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served. But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 Whoever is loving silver is not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase. Even this [is] vanity. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.
11 In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit [is] to its possessor except the sight of his eyes? When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 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 Sweet [is] the sleep of the laborer whether he eat little or much; and the sufficiency of the wealthy is not permitting him to 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 laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
13 There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil. There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14 And that wealth has been lost in an evil business, and he has begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand! and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 As he came out from the belly of his mother, naked he turns back to go as he came, and he does not take away anything of his labor, that goes in his hand. 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. 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 And this also [is] a painful evil, just as he came, so he goes, and what advantage [is] to him who labors for 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? This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
17 He also consumes all his days in darkness, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound. Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18 Behold, that which I have seen: [It is] good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one’s labor that he labors at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God has given to him, for it [is] his portion. 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. 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 Every man also to whom God has given wealth and riches, and has given him power to eat of it, and to accept his portion, and to rejoice in his labor, this is a gift of 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. 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 he does not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through 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. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
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