| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
| 1Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. | 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. |
| 2Do not be hasty in word or impulsive 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 words be few. | 2Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. |
| 3For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words. | 3A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. |
| 4When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! | 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. |
| 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. | 5It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. |
| 6Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? | 6Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? |
| 7For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God. | 7Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God. |
| 8If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. | 8If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. |
| 9After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land. | 9The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. |
| 10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. | 10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. |
| 11When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on? | 11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? |
| 12The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. | 12The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. |
| 13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt. | 13I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, |
| 14When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. | 14or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. |
| 15As he had come naked from his mother's womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. | 15Everyone comes naked from their mother's womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. |
| 16This also is a grievous evil-- exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? | 16This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? |
| 17Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger. | 17All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. |
| 18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. | 18This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them--for this is their lot. |
| 19Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. | 19Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil--this is a gift of God. |
| 20For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. | 20They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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