| Berean Study Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. | 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. |
| 2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. | 2Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. |
| 3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. | 3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. |
| 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. | 4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. |
| 5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. | 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. |
| 6Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? | 6Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? |
| 7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God. | 7For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. |
| 8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. | 8If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. |
| 9The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. | 9But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. |
| 10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. | 10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. |
| 11When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? | 11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? |
| 12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. | 12Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. |
| 13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, | 13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, |
| 14or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on. | 14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. |
| 15As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. | 15As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. |
| 16This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? | 16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? |
| 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger. | 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. |
| 18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot. | 18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. |
| 19Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God. | 19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. |
| 20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. | 20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. |
| The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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