1
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they doevil.
2
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing[a]beforeGod: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
3
For a dreamcometh through the multitude of business; and a fool'svoice is known by multitude of words.
4
When thou vowest a vow unto God,defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools:pay that which thou hast vowed.
5
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
7
For in the multitude of dreams and manywords there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
8
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province,marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highestregardeth; and there be higher than they.
9
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
10
He that lovethsilver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that lovethabundance with increase: this is also vanity.
11
When goodsincrease, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding* of them with their eyes?
12
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eatlittle or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13
There is a soreevil which I have seen under the sun, namely, richeskept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
14
But those richesperish by eviltravail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
15
As he came forth of his mother'swomb,naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall takenothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
16
And this also is a soreevil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
17
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath muchsorrow and wrath with his sickness.
18
Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sunall the days of his life, which Godgiveth him: for it is his portion.
19
Every man also to whom God hath givenriches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour;this is the gift of God.
20
For he shall not muchremember the days of his life; because Godanswereth him in the joy of his heart.