⁴I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and another.^b This also is vanity and chasing wind!

⁵The fool refuses to work with his hands,

so he has nothing to eat except his own skin!^c

⁶Better is one handful with peace

than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.

Wealth without Someone with Which to Enjoy It is Futile

⁷I turned again and saw another vanity under the sun. ⁸Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself^d of pleasure?” This also is vanity—it is an unhappy business!

Friends and Family Can Help One Another in Life

⁹Two are better than the one, for they enjoy a better reward for their toil. ¹⁰For if they fall, one will help up his companion. But pity the one who falls and there is no one^e to help him up. ¹¹Also if two lie together, they can keep each other warm.^f But how can one person be warm? ¹²Although an assailant may overpower one person, two may withstand him.^g A threefold cord is not easily broken!^h

One Must Be Willing to Listen to Counsel

¹³A poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to receive advice.ⁱ ¹⁴For he came out of the prison house to reign, since he was born poor in his kingdom.^j ¹⁵I saw all the living who move about under the sun with the youth; the second who will stand in his place. ¹⁶There is no end to all the people, to all who were before him. Yet the later generation will not rejoice in him, for this also is vanity and chasing wind!

Listen to God Rather Than Uttering Rash Vows

5^a Guard your steps when you go to the house of God;

draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice of fools,

for they do not know that they are doing evil.

²Do not be rash with your mouth,

and do not let your heart be quick to utter a word before God.

For God is in heaven, and you are on earth;

therefore, let your words be few.

³For a dream comes with many cares,

and the voice of a fool with many words.

⁴When you make a vow to God,

do not delay in fulfilling it,

for he takes no pleasure^b in fools.

Fulfill what you vow!

⁵It is better that you not vow

than that you vow and not fulfill it.

⁶Do not let your mouth lead your flesh into sin,

and do not tell the messenger that it was a mistake.

Why anger God at your words,

so that he destroys the work of your hands?

⁷For with many dreams come vanities and numerous words.

Therefore, fear God!

Powerful Bureaucrats Exploit the Helpless Poor

⁸Do not be surprised if you see the poor being oppressed with violence

or do not see justice and righteousness in the province.

For one official is watched by a higher official,

and there are even higher officials over them!

⁹The produce of the land is exploited by everyone;

even the king profits from the field of the poor!^c

There is Never Enough Money to Satisfy

¹⁰Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money,

and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit.

This also is vanity!

¹¹When prosperity increases,

those who consume it increase.

So its owner gains nothing,

except to see his wealth before it is spent.^d

¹²The sleep of the laborer is pleasant, whether he eats little or much,

but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest.

Hoarding Wealth Can Backfire

¹³There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded^e by its owner to his harm. ¹⁴That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, he has nothing to leave to him.^f ¹⁵Just as he came from his mother’s womb naked, he will depart^g just as he came; he will take nothing with him for his toil. ¹⁶This also is a grievous illness. Exactly as he came, so he will go. What profit does he gain for all his toil for the wind? ¹⁷Also, he eats in darkness all his days; he is frustrated in much sickness and resentment.

If You Have Wealth, Enjoy It as God Enables

¹⁸Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and to enjoy^h all the fruit of the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him—for this is his lot.ⁱ ¹⁹This indeed is a gift of God: everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions, he also empowers him to enjoy them,^j to accept his lot, and to rejoice in the fruit of his toil. ²⁰For he does not remember the brief days of his life, for God keeps his heart preoccupied with enjoyment of life.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

aLiterally “And look! The tears of the oppressed, and there is no comforting for them, and from the hand of oppressors of them was power, and there is no comforting for them”
bLiterally “his friend”
cLiterally “The fool folds his hands and eats his flesh”
dLiterally “his soul”
eLiterally “there is not a second”
fLiterally “and it will be warm for them”
gLiterally “And even though he will prevail against him, the one; the second, they will withstand opposite him”
hLiterally “will not be broken in haste”
iLiterally “how to be warned”
jLiterally “for all in his kingdom he was born poor”
a Ecclesiastes 5:1–20 in the English Bible is 4:17–5:19 in the Hebrew Bible
bLiterally “there is no desire”
cLiterally “for the field is even worked for the king”
dLiterally “And what gain has its owner but to see it with his eyes?”
eLiterally “kept ”
fLiterally “he has nothing in his hand”
gLiterally “return to go”
hLiterally “to see goodness”
iOr “fate”
jLiterally “to eat from it”