New King James Version

New International Version

Fear God, Keep Your Vows

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

1

Fulfill Your Vow to God

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 rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.

2

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 a dream comes through much activity,
And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.

3

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 to pay it;
For He has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed —

4

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.

5

Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

5

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, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your [a]excuse and destroy the work of your hands?

6

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 multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.

7

Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.

8

The Vanity of Gain and Honor

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent [b]perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

8

Riches Are Meaningless

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

Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

9

The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

10

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.
This also is vanity.

10

Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.

11

When goods increase,
They increase who eat them;
So what profit have the owners
Except to see them with their eyes?

11

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 a laboring man is sweet,
Whether he eats little or much;
But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.

12

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 severe evil which I have seen under the sun:
Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.

13

I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

14

But those riches perish through [c]misfortune;
When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.

14

or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit.

15

As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return,
To go as he came;
And he shall take nothing from his labor
Which he may carry away in his hand.

15

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 severe evil —
Just exactly as he came, so shall he go.
And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?

16

This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart,
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?

17

All his days he also eats in darkness,
And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.

17

All their days they eat in darkness,
with great frustration, affliction and anger.

18

Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his [d]heritage.

18

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

As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his [e]heritage and rejoice in his labor — this is the gift of God.

19

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 will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

20

They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

Parallel

New King James Version

New International Version

Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5