5:1 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 do evil.
5:1 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.

5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
5:2 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.

5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice [is known] by multitude of words.
5:3 For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool's voice is known by his many words.

5:4 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.
5:4 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--

5:5 Better [is it] that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
5:5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

5:6 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?
5:6 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?

5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words [there are] also [divers] vanities: but fear thou God.
5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.

5:8 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 highest regardeth; and [there be] higher than they.
5:8 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.

5:9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.
5:9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this [is] also vanity.
5:10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

5:11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good [is there] to the owners thereof, saving the beholding [of them] with their eyes?
5:11 When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes?

5:12 The sleep of a labouring man [is] sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
5:12 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.

5:13 There is a sore evil [which] I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
5:13 There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.

5:14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and [there is] nothing in his hand.
5:14 But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.

5:15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
5:15 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.

5:16 And this also [is] a sore evil, [that] in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
5:16 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?

5:17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and [he hath] much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
5:17 All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.

5:18 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 sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion.
5:18 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.

5:19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches 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.
5:19 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.

5:20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart.
5:20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.