New King James Version NKJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Walk 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.
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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.
2 Do 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.
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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.
3 For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool's voice is known by his many words.
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For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed--
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When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.
5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
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It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
6 Do 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?
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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?
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
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For when dreams increase, empty words grow many: but do you fear God.
8 If 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.
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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.
9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
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But in all, a king is an advantage to a land with cultivated fields.
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
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He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth, with gain: this also is vanity.
11 When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes?
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When goods increase, they increase who eat them; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
12 The 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.
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Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let him sleep.
13 There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
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There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
14 But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.
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and those riches were lost in a bad venture; and he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.
15 As 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.
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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.
16 And 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?
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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,
17 All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.
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and spent all his days in darkness and grief, in much vexation and sickness and resentment?
18 Here 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.
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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.
19 As 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.
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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.
20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
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For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.