^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 with your mouth or ²impulsive in your heart to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven but you are on the earth; therefore let your ^bwords be few. 3 For the dream comes through abundant endeavor and the voice of a ^afool through abundant 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 allow your mouth to cause your flesh 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 wreak destruction on the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and vanities are many words. Rather, ^1afear God.

8 If you see ^aoppression of the poor and ^brobbery of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be ^castonished over the ¹matter; for a lofty one keeps watch over another lofty one, and there are loftier ones over them. 9 But the advantage of the land in everything is this—a king committed to a cultivated field.

10 ^aHe who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its produce. This too is ¹vanity. 11 ^aWhen good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the success to their masters except to look on with their eyes? 12 The sleep of the laboring man is ^asweet, whether he eats little or much; but the satisfaction of the rich man does not ¹allow him to sleep.

13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: ^ariches being ¹hoarded by their master to his own evil demise. 14 And those riches were lost through a bad endeavor; and he became the father of a son, but there was nothing in his hand for him. 15 ^aAs he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will ^bcarry nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can bring in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil—exactly as a man came, so will he go. So ^awhat is the advantage to him who ^blabors for the wind? 17 Also, all his days ^ahe eats in darkness with ^bmuch vexation, and his sickness and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be ^agood, which is ¹beautiful: to eat, to drink, and to see good in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few days of his life which God has given him; for this is his ^bportion. 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 take up his portion and be glad in his labor; this is the ^cgift of God. 20 For he will not remember much the days of his life because ^aGod allows ¹him to occupy himself with the gladness of his heart.

^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.