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Ecclesiastes 5:1–2

Your Attitude Toward God

1 1aGuard 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.

2 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.

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Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — The New International Version (NIV)

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.

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.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — English Standard Version (ESV)

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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. Be 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.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — New Living Translation (NLT)

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

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.

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.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — New Century Version (NCV)

Be careful when you go to worship at the Temple. It is better to listen than to offer foolish sacrifices without even knowing you are doing wrong.

Think before you speak,

and be careful about what you say to God.

God is in heaven,

and you are on the earth,

so say only a few words to God.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — American Standard Version (ASV)

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and draw near to hear, rather than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in the heavens, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Watch your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are unaware that they are doing ⸤something⸥ evil. 

Don’t be in a hurry to talk. Don’t be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words. 

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong. Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil. Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

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.

Do 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.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Be careful what you say when you go to God’s house. Go there to listen. Don’t be like foolish people when you offer your sacrifice. They do what is wrong and don’t even know it.

Don’t be too quick to speak.

Don’t be in a hurry to say anything to God.

He is in heaven. You are on earth.

So use only a few words when you speak.


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