| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong. | 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. |
| 2Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few. | 2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. |
| 3Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a fool occurs when there are many words. | 3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. |
| 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow! | 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. |
| 5It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it. | 5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. |
| 6Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, "It was a mistake!" Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy the work of your hands?" | 6Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? |
| 7Just as there is futility in many dreams, so also in many words. Therefore, fear God! | 7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God. |
| 8If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them! | 8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. |
| 9The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is served by the fields. | 9The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. |
| 10The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile. | 10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. |
| 11When someone's prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes? | 11When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? |
| 12The sleep of the laborer is pleasant--whether he eats little or much--but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep. | 12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. |
| 13Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery. | 13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, |
| 14Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him. | 14or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on. |
| 15Just as he came forth from his mother\'s womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil. | 15As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. |
| 16This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind? | 16This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? |
| 17Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger. | 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger. |
| 18I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward. | 18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot. |
| 19To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God. | 19Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God. |
| 20For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity. | 20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. |
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