Ecclesiastes 5 ISV BSB Parallel

◄ Ecclesiastes 5 ►

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Berean Study Bible

1 Watch your step whenever you visit God's house, and come more ready to listen than to offer a fool's sacrifice, since fools never think they're doing evil.

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.

2 Don't be impulsive with your mouth nor be in a hurry to talk in God's presence. Since God is in heaven and you're on earth, keep your speech short.

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.

3Too many worries lead to nightmares, and a fool is known from talking too much.

3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.

4When you make a promise to God, don't fail to keep it, since he isn't pleased with fools. Keep what you promise—

4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

5it's better that you don't promise than that you do promise and not follow through.

5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

6Never let your mouth cause you to sin and don't proclaim in the presence of the angel, "My promise was a mistake," for why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy what you've undertaken?

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?

7In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, it is more important to fear God.

7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.

8Don't be surprised when you see the poor oppressed and the violent perverting both justice and verdicts in a province, for one high official watches another, and there are ones higher still over them.

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.

9Also, the increase of the land belongs to everyone; the king himself is served by his field.

9The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

10Whoever loves money will never have enough money. Whoever loves luxury will not be content with abundance. This also is pointless.

10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

11When possessions increase, so does the number of consumers; therefore what good are they to their owners, except to look at them?

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?

12Sweet is the sleep of a working man, whether he eats a little or a lot, but the excess wealth of the rich will not allow him to rest.

12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

13I have observed a painful tragedy on earth: Wealth hoarded by its owner harms him,

13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,

14and that wealth is lost in troubled circumstances. Then a son is born, but there is nothing left for him.

14or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

15Just as he came naked from his mother's womb, he will leave as naked as he came; he will receive no profit from his efforts— he cannot carry away even a handful.

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.

16This is also a painful tragedy: However a person comes, he also departs; so what does he gain as he labors after the wind?

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?

17Furthermore, all his days he lives in darkness with great sorrow, anger, and affliction.

17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

18Look! I observed that it is good and prudent to eat, drink, and enjoy all that is good of a person's work that he does on earth during the limited days of his life, which God gives him, for this is his allotment.

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.

19Furthermore, for every person to whom God has given wealth, riches, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept this allotment, and to rejoice in his work—this is a gift from God.

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.

20For he will not brood much over the days of his life, since God will keep him occupied with the joys of his heart.

20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

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