Fear God, Keep Your Vows
1 Walkprudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear ratherthan to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
2 Do not berash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For Godisin heaven, and you on earth;
# Therefore let your wordsbe few.
3 For a dream comes through much activity,
# Anda fool’s voiceisknownbyhismany words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay topay it;
ForHehasno pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed—
5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
6 Do not let yourmouth cause your flesh to sin,nor say before the messengerofGodthat itwasan error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many wordsthereisalso vanity. Butfear God.
The Vanity of Gain and Honor
8 If yousee the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; forhigh official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all;eventhe king is served from the field.
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.
This alsoisvanity.
11 When goods increase,
They increase who eat them;
So what profit have the owners
Except to seethemwith their eyes?
12 The sleep of a laboring manissweet,
Whether he eats little or much;
But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
13 There is a severe evilwhichI have seen under the sun:
Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
14 But those riches perish through misfortune;
When he begets a son,thereisnothing in his hand.
15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return,
To go as he came;
And he shall take nothing from his labor
Which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this alsoisa severe evil—
Just exactly as he came, so shall he go.
# Andwhat profit has hewho has labored for the wind?
17 All his dayshe also eats in darkness,
Andhehasmuch sorrow and sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen:Itisgood and fittingforoneto eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him;for itishis heritage.
19 As forevery man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—thisisthegift of God.
20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keepshimbusy with the joy of his heart.