Ecclesiastes 5

Fulfill Your Vow to God

^*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.^a

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few.^b

A dream^c comes when there are many cares,

and many words mark the speech of a fool.^d

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.^e He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.^f It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.^g Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the ^⌈temple^⌈ messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.^h

Riches Are Meaningless

If you see the poor oppressed^a in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

Those who love money never have enough;

those who love wealth are never satisfied with their income.

This too is meaningless.

As goods increase,

so do those who consume them.

And what benefit are they to the owners

except to feast their eyes on them?

The sleep of laborers is sweet,

whether they eat little or much,

but the abundance of the rich

permits them no sleep.^b

I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:^c

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

or wealth lost through some misfortune,

so that when they have children

there is nothing left for them to inherit.

Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,

and as everyone comes, so they depart.^d

They take nothing from their toil^e

that they can carry in their hands.^f

This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,

and what do they gain,

since they toil for the wind?^g

All their days they eat in darkness,

with great frustration, affliction and anger.

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for people to eat, to drink^h and to find satisfaction in their toilsome laborⁱ under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives people wealth and possessions,^j and the ability to enjoy them,^k to accept their lot^l and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.^m They seldom reflect on the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.ⁿ