| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Walk 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. | 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. |
| 2Do 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. | 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. |
| 3For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words. | 3A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. |
| 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed— | 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. |
| 5Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. | 5It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. |
| 6Do 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? | 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? |
| 7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. | 7Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God. |
| 8If 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. | 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. |
| 9Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field. | 9The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. |
| 10He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. | 10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. |
| 11When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes? | 11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? |
| 12The 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. | 12The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. |
| 13There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt. | 13I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, |
| 14But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand. | 14or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. |
| 15As 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. | 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. |
| 16And 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? | 16This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? |
| 17All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger. | 17All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. |
| 18Here 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. | 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. |
| 19As 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. | 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. |
| 20For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart. | 20They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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