| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. | 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. |
| 2Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. | 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. |
| 3A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. | 3Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a fool occurs when there are many words. |
| 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. | 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow! |
| 5It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. | 5It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it. |
| 6Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? | 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?" |
| 7Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God. | 7Just as there is futility in many dreams, so also in many words. Therefore, fear God! |
| 8If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. | 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! |
| 9The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. | 9The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is served by the fields. |
| 10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. | 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. |
| 11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? | 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? |
| 12The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. | 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. |
| 13I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, | 13Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery. |
| 14or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. | 14Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him. |
| 15Everyone comes naked from their mother's womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. | 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. |
| 16This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? | 16This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind? |
| 17All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. | 17Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger. |
| 18This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them--for this is their lot. | 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. |
| 19Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil--this is a gift of God. | 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. |
| 20They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. | 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. |
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