|
|
|
|
1. Be very careful when you go to worship God. It is better to listen to God than to give sacrifices like fools. Fools often do bad things, and they don't even know it.
|
1. Keep H8104 thy foot H7272 when H834 thou goest H1980 to H413 the house H1004 of God H430 , and be more ready H7126 to hear H8085 , than to give H4480 H5414 the sacrifice H2077 of fools H3684 : for they consider H3045 not H369 that H3588 they do H6213 evil H7451 .
|
|
2. Be careful when you make promises to God. Be careful about what you say to him. Don't let your feelings cause you to speak too soon. God is in heaven, and you are on the earth. So you need to say only a few things to him. This saying is true:
|
2. Be not H408 rash H926 with H5921 thy mouth H6310 , and let not H408 thine heart H3820 be hasty H4116 to utter H3318 any thing H1697 before H6440 God H430 : for H3588 God H430 is in heaven H8064 , and thou H859 upon H5921 earth H776 : therefore H5921 H3651 let thy words H1697 be H1961 few H4592 .
|
|
3. Bad dreams come from too many worries, and too many words come from the mouth of a fool.
|
3. For H3588 a dream H2472 cometh H935 through the multitude H7230 of business H6045 ; and a fool H3684 's voice H6963 is known by multitude H7230 of words H1697 .
|
|
4. If you make a promise to God, keep your promise. Don't be slow to do what you promised. God is not happy with fools. Give God what you promised to give him.
|
4. When H834 thou vowest H5087 a vow H5088 unto God H430 , defer H309 not H408 to pay H7999 it; for H3588 he hath no H369 pleasure H2656 in fools H3684 : pay H7999 H853 that which H834 thou hast vowed H5087 .
|
|
5. It is better to promise nothing than to promise something and not be able to do it.
|
5. Better H2896 is it that H834 thou shouldest not H3808 vow H5087 , than that thou shouldest vow H4480 H7945 H5087 and not H3808 pay H7999 .
|
|
6. So don't let your words cause you to sin. Don't say to the priest, "I didn't mean what I said." If you do this, God might become angry with your words and destroy everything you have worked for.
|
6. Suffer H5414 not H408 H853 thy mouth H6310 to cause H853 thy flesh H1320 to sin H2398 ; neither H408 say H559 thou before H6440 the angel H4397 , that H3588 it H1931 was an error H7684 : wherefore H4100 should God H430 be angry H7107 at H5921 thy voice H6963 , and destroy H2254 H853 the work H4639 of thine hands H3027 ?
|
|
7. You should not let your useless dreams and bragging bring you trouble. You should respect God.
|
7. For H3588 in the multitude H7230 of dreams H2472 and many H7235 words H1697 there are also divers vanities H1892 : but H3588 fear H3372 thou H853 God H430 .
|
|
8. In some country you will see poor people who are forced to work very hard. You will see that this is not fair to them. It is against their rights. But don't be surprised! The ruler who forces them to work has another ruler who forces him. And there is still another ruler who forces both of these rulers.
|
8. If H518 thou seest H7200 the oppression H6233 of the poor H7326 , and violent perverting H1499 of judgment H4941 and justice H6664 in a province H4082 , marvel H8539 not H408 at H5921 the matter H2656 : for H3588 he that is higher H1364 than H4480 H5921 the highest H1364 regardeth H8104 ; and there be higher H1364 than H5921 they.
|
|
9. Even the king is a slave� his country owns him.
|
9. Moreover the profit H3504 of the earth H776 is for all H3605 : the king H4428 himself is served H5647 by the field H7704 .
|
|
10. Those who love money will never be satisfied with the money they have. Those who love wealth will not be satisfied when they get more and more. This is also senseless.
|
10. He that loveth H157 silver H3701 shall not H3808 be satisfied H7646 with silver H3701 ; nor he H4310 that loveth H157 abundance H1995 with increase H8393 : this H2088 is also H1571 vanity H1892 .
|
|
11. The more wealth people have, the more "friends" they have to help spend it. So the rich really gain nothing. They can only look at their wealth.
|
11. When goods H2896 increase H7235 , they are increased H7231 that eat H398 them : and what H4100 good H3788 is there to the owners H1167 thereof, saving H3588 H518 the beholding H7200 of them with their eyes H5869 ?
|
|
12. Those who work hard all day come home and sleep in peace. It is not important if they have little or much to eat. But the rich worry about their wealth and are not able to sleep.
|
12. The sleep H8142 of a laboring man H5647 is sweet H4966 , whether H518 he eat H398 little H4592 or H518 much H7235 : but the abundance H7647 of the rich H6223 will not H369 suffer H5117 him to sleep H3462 .
|
|
13. There is a very sad thing that I have seen happen in this life. People save their money for the future.
|
13. There is H3426 a sore H2470 evil H7451 which I have seen H7200 under H8478 the sun H8121 , namely , riches H6239 kept H8104 for the owners H1167 thereof to their hurt H7451 .
|
|
14. Then something bad happens and they lose everything. So they have nothing to give to their children.
|
14. But those H1931 riches H6239 perish H6 by evil H7451 travail H6045 : and he begetteth H3205 a son H1121 , and there is nothing H369 H3972 in his hand H3027 .
|
|
15. People come into the world with nothing. And when they die, they leave with nothing. They might work hard to get things, but they cannot take it with them when they die.
|
15. As H834 he came forth H3318 of his mother H517 's womb H4480 H990 , naked H6174 shall he return H7725 to go H1980 as he came H7945 H935 , and shall take H5375 nothing H3808 H3972 of his labor H5999 , which he may carry way H7945 H1980 in his hand H3027 .
|
|
16. It is very sad that people leave the world just as they came. So what does a person gain from "trying to catch the wind"?
|
16. And this H2090 also H1571 is a sore H2470 evil H7451 , that in all H3605 points H5980 as he came H7945 H935 , so H3651 shall he go H1980 : and what H4100 profit H3504 hath he that hath labored H7945 H5998 for the wind H7307 ?
|
|
17. They only get days that are filled with sadness and sorrow. In the end, they are troubled, sick, and angry.
|
17. All H3605 his days H3117 also H1571 he eateth H398 in darkness H2822 , and he hath much H7235 sorrow H3707 and wrath H7110 with his sickness H2483 .
|
|
18. I have seen what is best for people to do on earth: They should eat, drink, and enjoy the work they have during their short time here. God has given them these few days, and that is all they have.
|
18. Behold H2009 that which H834 I H589 have seen H7200 : it is good H2896 and comely H3303 for one to eat H398 and to drink H8354 , and to enjoy H7200 the good H2896 of all H3605 his labor H5999 that he taketh H7945 H5998 under H8478 the sun H8121 all H4557 the days H3117 of his life H2416 , which H834 God H430 giveth H5414 him: for H3588 it H1931 is his portion H2506 .
|
|
19. If God gives some people wealth, property, and the power to enjoy those things, they should enjoy them. They should accept the things they have and enjoy their work�that is a gift from God.
|
19. Every H3605 man H120 also H1571 to whom H834 God H430 hath given H5414 riches H6239 and wealth H5233 , and hath given him power H7980 to eat H398 thereof H4480 , and to take H5375 H853 his portion H2506 , and to rejoice H8055 in his labor H5999 ; this H2090 is the gift H4991 of God H430 .
|
|
20. People don't have many years to live, so they must remember these things all their life. God will keep them busy with the work they love to do.
|
20. For H3588 he shall not H3808 much H7235 remember H2142 H853 the days H3117 of his life H2416 ; because H3588 God H430 answereth H6030 him in the joy H8057 of his heart H3820 .
|