Approaching God with Awe

1Keep thy feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil. 2Cause not thy mouth to hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou on the earth, therefore let thy words be few. 3For the dream hath come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.

4When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest — complete. 5Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete. 6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that ‘it [is] an error,’ why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands? 7For, in the abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear thou God.

Wealth is Meaningless

8If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness thou seest in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones [are] over them. 9And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.

10Whoso is loving silver is not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase. Even this [is] vanity. 11In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit [is] to its possessor except the sight of his eyes? 12Sweet [is] the sleep of the labourer whether he eat little or much; and the sufficiency of the wealthy is not suffering him to sleep.

13There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil. 14And that wealth hath been lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand! 15As he came out from the belly of his mother, naked he turneth back to go as he came, and he taketh not away anything of his labour, that doth go in his hand. 16And this also [is] a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage [is] to him who laboureth for wind? 17Also all his days in darkness he consumeth, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.

18Lo, that which I have seen: [It is] good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one’s labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it [is] his portion. 19Every man also to whom God hath given wealth and riches, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to accept his portion, and to rejoice in his labour, this is a gift of God. 20For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.