Eclesiastés 5:5-15

5 Es mejor que no hagas votos, a que hagas votos y no los cumplas.

6 No permitas que tu boca te haga pecar, y no digas delante del mensajero de Dios que fue un error. ¿Por qué ha de enojarse Dios a causa de tu voz y destruir la obra de tus manos?

7 Porque en los muchos sueños y en las muchas palabras hay vanidades; tú, sin embargo, teme a Dios.

8 Si ves la opresión del pobre y la negación del derecho y de la justicia en la provincia, no te sorprendas del hecho, porque un oficial vigila sobre otro oficial, y hay oficiales superiores sobre ellos.

9 Mas el beneficio del país, para todos, es que el rey mantenga cultivado el campo.

10 El que ama el dinero no se saciará de dinero, y el que ama la abundancia no se saciará de ganancias. También esto es vanidad.

11 Cuando aumentan los bienes, aumentan también los que los consumen. Así, pues, ¿cuál es la ventaja para sus dueños, sino verlos con sus ojos?

12 Dulce es el sueño del trabajador, coma mucho o coma poco; pero la hartura del rico no le permite dormir.

13 Hay un grave mal que he visto bajo el sol: las riquezas guardadas por su dueño para su mal;

14 cuando esas riquezas se pierden por un mal negocio, y él engendra un hijo, no queda nada para mantenerlo.

15 Como salió del vientre de su madre, desnudo, así volverá, yéndose tal como vino; nada saca del fruto de su trabajo que pueda llevarse en la mano.

Eclesiastés 5:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 5

This chapter contains some rules and directions concerning the worship of God; how persons should behave when they go into the house of God; concerning hearing the word, to which there should be a readiness, and which should be preferred to the sacrifices of fools, Ec 5:1. Concerning prayer to God; which should not be uttered rashly and hastily, and should be expressed in few words; which is urged from the consideration of the majesty of God, and vileness of men; and the folly of much speaking is exposed by the simile of a dream, Ec 5:2,3. Concerning vows, which should not be rashly made; when made, should be kept; nor should excuses be afterwards framed for not performing them, since this might bring the anger of God upon men, to the destruction of the works of their hands, Ec 5:4-6; and, as an antidote against those vanities, which appear in the prayers and vows of some, and dreams of others, the fear of God is proposed, Ec 5:7; and, against any surprise at the oppression of the poor, the majesty, power, and providence of God, and his special regard to his people, are observed, Ec 5:8. And then the wise man enters into a discourse concerning riches; and observes, that the fruits of the earth, and the culture of it, are necessary to all men, and even to the king, Ec 5:9; but dissuades from covetousness, or an over love of riches; because they are unsatisfying, are attended with much trouble, often injurious to the owners of them; at length perish, and their possessors; who, at death, are stripped quite naked of all, after they have spent their days in darkness and distress, Ec 5:10-17; and concludes, therefore, that it is best for a man to enjoy, in a free manner, the good things of this life he is possessed of, and consider them as the gifts of God, and be thankful for them; by which means he will pass through the world more comfortably, and escape the troubles that attend others, Ec 5:18-20.