Ecclesiastes 5

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.

1Be careful when you go to God's house, the temple. Go there ready to listen. Foolish people bring gifts to God but keep doing wrong. They do not even see that they are doing wrong.

2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

2Do not speak too fast. Do not let your heart rush to say things to God. God is in heaven, and you are on earth. So use only a few words.

3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

3Too many worries bring dreams at night. Too many words show that a person is being foolish.

4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

4When you promise God something, do it right away. God is not pleased with fools. Do what you said you would do.

5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

5It is better not to promise at all than to promise and not do it.

6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

6Do not let your own mouth make you do wrong. Do not tell God's messenger that your promise was a mistake. Why make God angry at your words? He could ruin the work your hands have done.

NoteThe King James wording says "the angel." It means a messenger, likely the priest who came to collect what a person had promised.

7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

7Lots of dreams and lots of words add up to nothing at all. So respect God and take him seriously.

8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

8You may see poor people treated badly. You may see judges being unfair where you live. Do not be shocked by this. Each leader is watched by a higher leader, and higher ones still watch them.

9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

9Everyone gets food from what the land grows. Even the king depends on the fields.

10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

10A person who loves money never has enough money. A person who loves nice things never has enough either. This is empty too.

Note"Vanity" in the old wording does not mean being proud. It means empty, like a puff of air that blows away.

11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

11When you own more, more people come to eat it up. The owner just gets to look at it all.

12The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

12A worker sleeps well, whether he eats a little or a lot. But a rich man's big pile of things keeps him awake.

Note"Suffer" in the old wording means "allow." The verse says riches do not let the rich man sleep.

13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

13I have seen something very sad here on earth. A man saves up his money, and it ends up hurting him.

14But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

14Then the money is lost in a deal that goes bad. He has a son, and there is nothing left to give him.

15As 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.

15A person is born with nothing at all. He leaves the world with nothing too. He cannot carry his work away in his hands.

16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

16This is very sad as well. He goes out just the way he came in. He worked hard for the wind. What did he get?

17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

17He spends all his days eating in the dark. He is full of sadness, sickness, and anger.

18Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one 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 is his portion.

18Here is what I have learned. It is good to eat and drink. It is good to enjoy your work here on earth. God gives you these few days of life. This is your share.

19Every 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 is the gift of God.

19God gives some people money and good things. He also lets them enjoy what they have. They can take their share and be glad in their work. That is a gift from God.

20For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

20Such a person does not spend much time worrying about his short life. God keeps his heart busy and glad.