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
.
For a dream cometh
through the multitude
of business
; and a fool's
voice
is known by multitude
of words
.
When thou vowest a vow
unto God
, defer
not to pay
it; for he hath no pleasure
in fools
: pay
that which thou hast vowed
.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow
, than that thou shouldest vow
and not pay
.
Suffer not thy mouth
to cause thy flesh
to sin
; neither say
thou before
the angel
, that it was an error
: wherefore should God
be angry
at thy voice
, and destroy
the work
of thine hands
?
For in the multitude of dreams
and many
words
there are also divers vanities
: but fear
thou God
.
If thou seest the oppression
of the poor
, and violent
perverting of judgment
and justice
in a province
, marvel
not at the matter
: for he that is higher
than the highest
regardeth
; and there be higher
than they
.
Moreover the profit of the earth
is for all: the king
himself is served
by the field
.
He that loveth silver
shall not be satisfied
with silver
; nor he that loveth
abundance
with increase
: this is also vanity
.
When goods increase
, they are increased
that eat
them: and what good
is there to the owners
thereof, saving
the beholding
of them with their eyes
?
The sleep of a labouring man
is sweet
, whether he eat
little
or much
: but the abundance
of the rich
will not suffer
him to sleep
.
There is a sore
evil
which I have seen
under the sun
, namely , riches
kept
for the owners
thereof to their hurt
.
But those riches perish
by evil
travail
: and he begetteth
a son
, and there is nothing
in his hand
.
As he came forth of his mother's
womb
, naked
shall he return
to go
as he came
, and shall take
nothing
of his labour
, which he may carry away
in his hand
.
And this also is a sore
evil
, that in all points
as he came
, so shall he go
: and what profit
hath he that hath laboured
for the wind
?
All his days also he eateth
in darkness
, and he hath much
sorrow
and wrath
with his sickness
.
Behold that which I have seen: it is good
and comely
for one to eat
and to drink
, and to enjoy
the good
of all his labour
that he taketh
under the sun
all
the days
of his life
, which God
giveth
him: for it is his portion
.
Every man also to whom God
hath given
riches
and wealth
, and hath given him power
to eat
thereof, and to take
his portion
, and to rejoice
in his labour
; this
is the gift
of God
.
For he shall not much remember
the days
of his life
; because God
answereth
him in the joy
of his heart
.