1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Ecclesiastes 5

1 Vanities in divine service, 8 in murmuring against oppression, 9 and in riches. 18 Joy in riches is the gift of God.

 5:1 Guard 8104 your steps 7272 as you go 1980 to the house 1004 of God 430 and draw 7126 near 7138 to listen 8085 rather 4480 than 4480 to offer 5414 the sacrifice 2077 of fools 3684; for they do not know 3045 they are doing 6213a evil 7451a.

 5:2 Do not be hasty 4116 in word 6310 or impulsive 4116 in thought 3820 to bring 3318 up a matter 1697 in the presence 6440 of God 430. For God 430 is in heaven 8064 and you are on the earth 776; therefore 5921 3651 let your words 1697 be few 4592.

 5:3 For the dream 2472 comes 935 through much 7230 effort 6045 and the voice 6963 of a fool 3684 through many 7230 words 1697.

 5:4 ¶ When 3512c you make 5087 a vow 5088 to God 430, do not be late 309 in paying 7999a it; for [He takes] no 369 delight 2656 in fools 3684. Pay 7999a what 834 you vow 5087!

 5:5 It is better 2896a that you should not vow 5087 than 4480 that you should vow 5087 and not pay 7999a.

 5:6 Do not let 5414 your speech 6310 cause you to sin 2398 and do not say 559 in the presence 6440 of the messenger 4397 [of God] that it was a mistake 7684. Why 4100 should God 430 be angry 7107 on account 5921 of your voice 6963 and destroy 2254b the work 4639 of your hands 3027?

 5:7 For in many 7230 dreams 2472 and in many 7235a words 1697 there is emptiness 1892. Rather 3588, fear 3372a God 430.

 5:8 ¶ If 518 you see 7200 oppression 6233 of the poor 7326 and denial 1498 of justice 4941 and righteousness 6664 in the province 4082, do not be shocked 8539 at the sight 2656; for one official 1364 watches 8104 over 4480 5921 another official 1364, and there are higher 1364 officials 1364 over 5921 them.

 5:9 After all 3605, a king 4428 who cultivates 5647 the field 7704 is an advantage 3504 to the land 776.

 5:10 ¶ He who loves 157 money 3701 will not be satisfied 7646 with money 3701, nor 3808 he who 4310 loves 157 abundance 1995 [with its] income 8393. This 2088 too 1571 is vanity 1892.

 5:11 When good 2899b things 2899b increase 7235a, those who consume 398 them increase 7231. So what 4100 is the advantage 3788 to their owners 1167 except 3588 518 to look 7212 5869 on?

 5:12 The sleep 8142 of the working 5647 man is pleasant 4966, whether 518 he eats 398 little 4592 or much 7235a; but the full 7647 stomach 7647 of the rich 6223 man 6223 does not allow 5117 him to sleep 3462.

 5:13 ¶ There 3426 is a grievous 2470a evil 7463a [which] I have seen 7200 under 8478 the sun 8121: riches 6239 being hoarded 8104 by their owner 1167 to his hurt 7463a.

 5:14 When those 1931 riches 6239 were lost 6 through a bad 7451a investment 6045 and he had fathered 3205 a son 1121, then there 369 was nothing 369 3972 to support 3027 him.

 5:15 As he had come 3318 naked 6174 from his mother’s 517 womb 990, so will he return 7725 as he came 935. He will take 5375 nothing 3972 3808 from the fruit 5999 of his labor 5999 that he can carry 1980 in his hand 3027.

 5:16 This 2090 also 1571 is a grievous 2470a evil 7463a—exactly 5980 as a man is born 935, thus 3651 will he die 1980. So what 4100 is the advantage 3504 to him who 7945 toils 5998 for the wind 7307?

 5:17 Throughout 3605 his life 3117 [he] also 1571 eats 398 in darkness 2822 with great 7235a vexation 3707, sickness 2483 and anger 7110a.

 5:18 ¶ Here 2009 is what 834 I have seen 7200 to be good 2896a and fitting 3303: to eat 398, to drink 8354 and enjoy 7200 2899b oneself in all 3605 one’s labor 5999 in which 7945 he toils 5998 under 8478 the sun 8121 [during] the few 4557 years 3117 of his life 2425b which 834 God 430 has given 5414 him; for this 1931 is his reward 2506.

 5:19 Furthermore 1571, as for every 3605 man 120 to whom 834 God 430 has given 5414 riches 6239 and wealth 5233, He has also empowered 7980 him to eat 398 from them and to receive 5375 his reward 2506 and rejoice 8055 in his labor 5999; this 2090 is the gift 4991 of God 430.

 5:20 For he will not often 7235a consider 2142 the years 3117 of his life 2425b, because 3588 God 430 keeps 6030b him occupied 6030b with the gladness 8057 of his heart 3820.