Parallel Bible results for "Ecclesiastes 5"

Ecclesiastes 5

RSV

NIV

1 Guard 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.
1 Guard 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.
2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.
2 Do 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.
3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
3 A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.
4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.
6 Let 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?
6 Do 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?
7 For when dreams increase, empty words grow many: but do you fear God.
7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.
8 If you see in a province the poor oppressed and justice and right violently taken away, do not be amazed at the matter; for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.
8 If 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.
9 But in all, a king is an advantage to a land with cultivated fields.
9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth, with gain: this also is vanity.
10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.
11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them?
12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let him sleep.
12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture; and he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.
14 or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil, which he may carry away in his hand.
15 Everyone 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.
16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go; and what gain has he that he toiled for the wind,
16 This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
17 and spent all his days in darkness and grief, in much vexation and sickness and resentment?
17 All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and to be 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 which God has given him, for this is his lot.
18 This 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.
19 Every man also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and find enjoyment in his toil--this is the gift of God.
19 Moreover, 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.
20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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