¹Guarda tus pasos cuando vas a la casa de Dios^a, y acércate a escuchar en vez de ofrecer el sacrificio de los necios^b, porqueestos no saben que hacen el mal.

4 Cuando haces un voto a Dios, no tardes en cumplirlo, porque Él no se deleita en los necios. El voto que haces, cúmplelo^a. 5 Es mejor que no hagas votos, a que hagas votos y no los cumplas^a. 6 No permitas que tu boca te haga pecar¹, y no digas delante del mensajero de Dios que fue un error^a. ¿Por qué ha de enojarse Dios a causa de tu voz y destruir la obra de tus manos? 7 Porque en los muchos sueños y en las muchas palabras hay vanidades; tú, sin embargo, teme¹ a Dios^a.

8 Si ves la opresión^a del pobre y la negación del derecho y de la justicia^b en la provincia, no te sorprendas^c del hecho, porque un oficial¹ vigila sobre otro oficial², y hay oficiales superiores sobre ellos. 9 Con todo, es de beneficio para el país, que el rey mantenga cultivado el campo.

13 Hay un grave mal que he visto bajo el sol:las riquezas^a guardadas por su dueño para su mal;

16 Y también esto es un grave mal:que tal como vino, así se irá.Por tanto, ¿qué provecho^a tiene el que trabaja para el viento^b?

18 He aquí lo que yo he visto que es bueno y conveniente¹: comer, beber y gozarse uno² de todo el trabajo en que se afana^a bajo el sol en los contados días de la vida que Dios le ha dado; porqueesta es su recompensa^3b. 19 Igualmente, a todo hombre a quien Dios ha dado riquezas y bienes^a, lo ha capacitado también para comer de ellos^b, para recibir su recompensa¹ y regocijarse en su trabajo: esto es don de Dios^c. 20 Pues él no se acordará mucho de los días de su vida, porque Dios lo¹ mantiene ocupado con alegría en su corazón^a.

^1aGuard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the ^bsacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 ¹Do not be ^aquick with your mouth or ²impulsive 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. 3 For the dream comes through much ¹effort, and the voice of a ^afool through many words.

4 When you ^amake a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. ^bPay what you vow! 5 It is ^abetter that you not vow, than vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your ¹speech cause ²you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a ^amistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, ^1afear God.

8 If you see ^aoppression of the poor and ^bdenial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be ^cshocked at the ¹sight; for one ²official watches over another ³official, and there are higher ⁴officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.

10 ^aOne who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. 11 ^aWhen good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to ¹look at them? 12 The sleep of the laborer is ^asweet, whether he eats little or much; but the ¹full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.

13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: ^awealth being ¹hoarded by its owner to his detriment. 14 When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing ¹to support him. 15 ^aAs he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will ^btake nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person ¹is born, so will he ²die. ^aWhat then is the advantage for him who ^blabors for the wind? 17 All his life ^ahe also eats in darkness with ^bgreat irritation, sickness, and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be ^agood and ¹fitting: to eat, to drink, and ²enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few ³years of his life which God has given him; for this is his ^4breward. 19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom ^aGod has given riches and wealth, He has also ^bgiven him the opportunity to ¹enjoy them and to receive his ²reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the ^cgift of God. 20 For he will not often call to mind the ¹years of his life, because ^aGod keeps ²him busy with the joy of his heart.

^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. 3 For the dream comes through much ¹effort and the voice of a ^afool through many words.

4 When you ^amake a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. ^bPay what you vow! 5 It is ^abetter that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your ¹speech cause ²you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a ^amistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is ¹emptiness. Rather, ^2afear God.

8 If you see ^aoppression of the poor and ^bdenial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be ^cshocked at the ¹sight; for one ²official watches over another ³official, and there are higher ⁴officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

10 ^aHe who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is ¹vanity. 11 ^aWhen good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to ¹look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is ^apleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the ¹full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: ^ariches being ¹hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14 When those riches were lost through ¹a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing ²to support him. 15 ^aAs he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will ^btake nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man ¹is born, thus will he ²die. So ^awhat is the advantage to him who ^btoils for the wind? 17 Throughout his life ^ahe also eats in darkness with ^bgreat vexation, sickness and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be ^agood and ¹fitting: to eat, to drink and ²enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few ³years of his life which God has given him; for this is his ^4breward. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom ^aGod has given riches and wealth, He has also ^bempowered him to eat from them and to receive his ¹reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the ^cgift of God. 20 For he will not often ¹consider the ²years of his life, because ^aGod keeps ³him occupied with the gladness of his heart.