Eclesiastés 5:5-15

5 Mejor es que no prometas, y no que prometas y no pagues

6 No sueltes tu boca para hacer pecar a tu carne; ni digas delante del ángel, que fue ignorancia. ¿Por qué harás que Dios se aíre a causa de tu voz, y que destruya la obra de tus manos

7 Porque los sueños abundan, y las vanidades y las palabras son muchas; mas tú teme a Dios

8 Si violencias de pobres, y extorsión de derecho y de justicia vieres en la provincia, no te maravilles de esta licencia; porque alto está mirando sobre alto, y uno más alto está sobre ellos

9 Y mayor altura hay en todas las cosas de la tierra; mas el que sirve al campo es rey

10 El que ama el dinero, no se saciará de dinero; y el que ama el mucho tener, no sacará fruto. También esto es vanidad

11 Cuando los bienes se aumentan, también se aumentan los que los comen. ¿Qué bien, pues, tendrá su dueño, sino verlos con sus ojos

12 Dulce es el sueño del trabajador, coma mucho o coma poco; mas al rico no lo deja dormir la abundancia

13 Hay otra enfermedad maligna que he visto debajo del sol: las riquezas guardadas por sus dueños para su mal

14 las cuales se pierden en malas ocupaciones, y a los hijos que engendraron nada les queda en la mano

15 Como salió del vientre de su madre, desnudo, así vuelve, yéndose tal como vino; y nada tiene de su trabajo para llevar en su 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.