Eclesiastés 5
Douay-Rheims Bible
1Speak not any thing rashly, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
2Dreams follow many cares: and in many words shall be found folly.
3If thou hast vowed any thing to God, defer not to pay it: for an unfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth him: but whatsoever thou hast vowed, pay it.
4And it is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised.
5Give not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin: and say not before the angel: There is no providence: lest God be angry at thy words, and destroy all the works of thy hands.
6Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities, and words without number: but do thou fear God.
7If thou shalt see the oppressions of the poor, and violent judgments, and justice perverted in the province, wonder not at this matter: for he that is high hath another higher, and there are others still higher than these:
8Moreover there is the king that reigneth over all the land subject to him.
9A covetous man shall not be satisfied with money: and he that loveth riches shall reap no fruit from them: so this also is vanity.
10Where there are great riches, there are also many to eat them. And what doth it profit the owner, but that he seeth the riches with his eyes?
11Sleep is sweet to a labouring man, whether he eat little or much: but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
12There is also another grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun: riches kept to the hurt of the owner.
13For they are lost with very great affliction: he hath begotten a son, who shall be in extremity of want.
14As he came forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and shall take nothing away with him of his labour.
15A most deplorable evil: as he came, so shall he return. What then doth it profit him that he hath laboured for the wind?
16All the days of his life he eateth in darkness, and in many cares, and in misery, and sorrow.
17This therefore hath seemed good to me, that a man should eat and drink, and enjoy the fruit of his labour, wherewith he hath laboured under the sun, all the days of his life, which God hath given him: and this is his portion.
18And every man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to enjoy his portion, and to rejoice of his labour: this is the gift of God.
19For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God entertaineth his heart with delight,
20—
Reina-Valera 1909
1CUANDO fueres á la casa de Dios, guarda tu pie; y acércate más para oir que para dar el sacrificio de los necios: porque no saben que hacen mal.
2No te des priesa con tu boca, ni tu corazón se apresure á proferir palabra delante de Dios; porque Dios está en el cielo, y tú sobre la tierra: por tanto, sean pocas tus palabras.
3Porque de la mucha ocupación viene el sueño, y de la multitud de las palabras la voz del necio.
4Cuando á Dios hicieres promesa, no tardes en pagarla; porque no se agrada de los insensatos. Paga lo que prometieres.
5Mejor es que no prometas, que no que prometas y no pagues.
6No sueltes tu boca para hacer pecar á tu carne; ni digas delante del ángel, que fué ignorancia. ¿Por qué harás que Dios se aire á causa de tu voz, y que destruya la obra de tus manos?
7Donde los sueños son en multitud, también lo son las vanidades y muchas las palabras; mas tú teme á Dios.
8Si violencias de pobres, y extorsión de derecho y de justicia vieres en la provincia, no te maravilles de esta licencia; porque alto está mirando sobre alto, y uno más alto está sobre ellos.
9Además el provecho de la tierra es para todos: el rey mismo está sujeto á los campos.
10El que ama el dinero, no se hartará de dinero; y el que ama el mucho tener, no sacará fruto. También esto es vanidad.
11Cuando los bienes se aumentan, también se aumentan sus comedores. ¿Qué bien, pues, tendrá su dueño, sino verlos con sus ojos?
12Dulce es el sueño del trabajador, ora coma mucho ó poco; mas al rico no le deja dormir la hartura.
13Hay una trabajosa enfermedad que he visto debajo del sol: las riquezas guardadas de sus dueños para su mal;
14Las cuales se pierden en malas ocupaciones, y á los hijos que engendraron nada les queda en la mano.
15Como salió del vientre de su madre, desnudo, así se vuelve, tornando como vino; y nada tuvo de su trabajo para llevar en su mano.
16Este también es un gran mal, que como vino, así haya de volver. ¿Y de qué le aprovechó trabajar al viento?
17Demás de esto, todos los días de su vida comerá en tinieblas, con mucho enojo y dolor y miseria.
18He aquí pues el bien que yo he visto: Que lo bueno es comer y beber, y gozar uno del bien de todo su trabajo con que se fatiga debajo del sol, todos los días de su vida que Dios le ha dado; porque esta es su parte.
19Asimismo, á todo hombre á quien Dios dió riquezas y hacienda, y le dió también facultad para que coma de ellas, y tome su parte, y goce su trabajo; esto es don de Dios.
20Porque no se acordará mucho de los días de su vida; pues Dios le responderá con alegría de su corazón.
King James Version
1Keep 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.
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.
3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.
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.
5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
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?
7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
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.
9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
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?
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.
13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
14But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
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.
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?
17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
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.
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.
20For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
World English Bible
1Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.
2Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
3For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.
4When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
5It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
6Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God.
8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.
9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.
10He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
11When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?
12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.
13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
14Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
16This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
17All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.
18Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.
19Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
20For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.