| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. | 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. |
| 2Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. | 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. |
| 3For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words. | 3Too many worries lead to nightmares, and a fool is known from talking too much. |
| 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed— | 4When you make a promise to God, don't fail to keep it, since he isn't pleased with fools. Keep what you promise— |
| 5Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. | 5it's better that you don't promise than that you do promise and not follow through. |
| 6Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? | 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? |
| 7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. | 7In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, it is more important to fear God. |
| 8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them. | 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. |
| 9Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field. | 9Also, the increase of the land belongs to everyone; the king himself is served by his field. |
| 10He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. | 10Whoever loves money will never have enough money. Whoever loves luxury will not be content with abundance. This also is pointless. |
| 11When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes? | 11When possessions increase, so does the number of consumers; therefore what good are they to their owners, except to look at them? |
| 12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. | 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. |
| 13There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt. | 13I have observed a painful tragedy on earth: Wealth hoarded by its owner harms him, |
| 14But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand. | 14and that wealth is lost in troubled circumstances. Then a son is born, but there is nothing left for him. |
| 15As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand. | 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. |
| 16And this also is a severe evil— Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? | 16This is also a painful tragedy: However a person comes, he also departs; so what does he gain as he labors after the wind? |
| 17All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger. | 17Furthermore, all his days he lives in darkness with great sorrow, anger, and affliction. |
| 18Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. | 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. |
| 19As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. | 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. |
| 20For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart. | 20For he will not brood much over the days of his life, since God will keep him occupied with the joys of his heart. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
|
