1 aGuard your steps
as you go
to the house
of God
and draw
near
to listen
rather
than
to offer
the bsacrifice
of fools
; for they do not know
they are doing
evil
.
1Do not be ahasty 2in word
or 3impulsive
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 bwords
be few
.
For the dream comes
through much
1effort
and the voice
of a afool
through many
words
.
When you amake
a vow
to God
, do not be late
in paying
it; for He takes no
delight
in fools
. bPay
what
you vow
!
It is abetter that you should not vow
than
that you should vow
and not pay
.
Do not let your 1speech
cause 2you to sin
and do not say
in the presence
of the messenger
of God that it was a amistake
. Why
should God
be angry
on account
of your voice
and destroy
the work
of your hands
?
For in many dreams
and in many
words
there is 1emptiness
. Rather
, 2 afear
God
.
If you see
aoppression
of the poor
and bdenial
of justice
and righteousness
in the province
, do not be cshocked
at the 1sight
; for one 2official
watches
over
another 2official
, and there are higher
3officials
over
them.
After all, a king
who cultivates
the field
is an advantage
to the land
.
aHe who loves money
will not be satisfied
with money
, nor
he who
loves
abundance
with its income
. This
too
is 1vanity
.
aWhen good things
increase
, those who consume
them increase
. So what
is the advantage
to their owners
except
to 1look
on?
The sleep of the working
man is apleasant
, whether
he eats
little
or much
; but the 1full
stomach
of the rich
man
does not allow
him to sleep
.
There is a grievous
evil
which I have seen
under
the sun
: ariches
being 1hoarded
by their owner
to his hurt
.
When those riches
were lost
through 1a bad
investment
and he had fathered
a son
, then there
was nothing
2to support
him.
aAs he had come naked
from his mother's
womb
, so will he return
as he came
. He will btake
nothing
from the fruit
of his labor
that he can carry
in his hand
.
This also
is a grievous
evil
--exactly
as a man 1is born
, thus
will he 2die
. So awhat
is the advantage
to him who
btoils
for the wind
?
Throughout his life
ahe also
eats
in darkness
with bgreat
vexation
, sickness
and anger
.
Here is what
I have seen
to be agood
and 1fitting
: to eat
, to drink
and 2enjoy
oneself in all
one's labor
in which
he toils
under
the sun
during the few
3years
of his life
which
God
has given
him; for this
is his 4 breward
.
Furthermore, as for every
man
to whom
aGod
has given
riches
and wealth
, He has also bempowered
him to eat
from them and to receive
his 1reward
and rejoice
in his labor
; this
is the cgift
of God
.
For he will not often 1consider
the 2years
of his life
, because
aGod
keeps
3him occupied
with the gladness
of his heart
.