Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 (4-17) Keep thy foot, when thou goest into the house of God, and draw nigh to hear. For much better is obedience, than the victims of fools, who know not what evil they do.
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Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.
2 (5-1) Speak not any thing rashly, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
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Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.
3 (5-2) Dreams follow many cares: and in many words shall be found folly.
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For dreams come with many cares, and a fool's voice with many words.
4 (5-3) If thou hast vowed any thing to God, defer not to pay it: for an unfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth him: but whatsoever thou hast vowed, pay it.
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When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you vow.
5 (5-4) And it is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised.
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It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it.
6 (5-5) Give not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin: and say not before the angel: There is no providence: lest God be angry at thy words, and destroy all the works of thy hands.
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Do not let 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 words, and destroy the work of your hands?
7 (5-6) Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities, and words without number: but do thou fear God.
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With many dreams come vanities and a multitude of words; but fear God.
8 (5-7) If thou shalt see the oppressions of the poor, and violent judgments, and justice perverted in the province, wonder not at this matter: for he that is high hath another higher, and there are others still higher than these:
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If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and right, 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 (5-8) Moreover there is the king that reigneth over all the land subject to him.
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But all things considered, this is an advantage for a land: a king for a plowed field.
10 (5-9) A covetous man shall not be satisfied with money: and he that loveth riches shall reap no fruit from them: so this also is vanity.
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The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity.
11 (5-10) Where there are great riches, there are also many to eat them. And what doth it profit the owner, but that he seeth the riches with his eyes?
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When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
12 (5-11) Sleep is sweet to a labouring man, whether he eat little or much: but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
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Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep.
13 (5-12) There is also another grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun: riches kept to the hurt of the owner.
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There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt,
14 (5-13) For they are lost with very great affliction: he hath begotten a son, who shall be in extremity of want.
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and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands.
15 (5-14) As he came forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and shall take nothing away with him of his labour.
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As they came from their mother's womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands.
16 (5-15) A most deplorable evil: as he came, so shall he return. What then doth it profit him that he hath laboured for the wind?
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This also is a grievous ill: just as they came, so shall they go; and what gain do they have from toiling for the wind?
17 (5-16) All the days of his life he eateth in darkness, and in many cares, and in misery, and sorrow.
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Besides, all their days they eat in darkness, in much vexation and sickness and resentment.
18 (5-17) This therefore hath seemed good to me, that a man should eat and drink, and enjoy the fruit of his labour, wherewith he hath laboured under the sun, all the days of his life, which God hath given him: and this is his portion.
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This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot.
19 (5-18) And every man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to enjoy his portion, and to rejoice of his labour: this is the gift of God.
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Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God.
20 (5-19) For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God entertaineth his heart with delight.
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For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.