◄ Ecclesiastes 5 ►
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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. 1שְׁמֹ֣ר [רגליך] (רַגְלְךָ֗) כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָר֣וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי־ אֵינָ֥ם יוֹדְעִ֖ים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃
2Do not be hasty to speak, and do not let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. 2אַל־ תְּבַהֵ֨ל עַל־ פִּ֜יךָ וְלִבְּךָ֧ אַל־ יְמַהֵ֛ר לְהוֹצִ֥יא דָבָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְאַתָּ֣ה עַל־ הָאָ֔רֶץ עַֽל־ כֵּ֛ן יִהְי֥וּ דְבָרֶ֖יךָ מְעַטִּֽים׃
3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool [comes] with many words. 3כִּ֛י בָּ֥א הַחֲל֖וֹם בְּרֹ֣ב עִנְיָ֑ן וְק֥וֹל כְּסִ֖יל בְּרֹ֥ב דְּבָרִֽים׃
4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. 4כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ תִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים אַל־ תְּאַחֵר֙ לְשַׁלְּמ֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין חֵ֖פֶץ בַּכְּסִילִ֑ים אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ תִּדֹּ֖ר שַׁלֵּֽם׃
5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 5ט֖וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־ תִדֹּ֑ר מִשֶׁתִּדּ֖וֹר‪‬‪‬ וְלֹ֥א תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃
6Do not let your mouth cause your body 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? 6אַל־ תִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־ פִּ֙יךָ֙ לַחֲטִ֣יא אֶת־ בְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָ וְאַל־ תֹּאמַר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ כִּ֥י שְׁגָגָ֖ה הִ֑יא לָ֣מָּה יִקְצֹ֤ף הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־ קוֹלֶ֔ךָ וְחִבֵּ֖ל אֶת־ מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדֶֽיךָ׃
7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God. 7כִּ֣י בְרֹ֤ב חֲלֹמוֹת֙ וַהֲבָלִ֔ים וּדְבָרִ֖ים הַרְבֵּ֑ה כִּ֥י אֶת־ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יְרָֽא׃
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 higher still are over them. 8אִם־ עֹ֣שֶׁק רָ֠שׁ וְגֵ֨זֶל מִשְׁפָּ֤ט וָצֶ֙דֶק֙ תִּרְאֶ֣ה בַמְּדִינָ֔ה אַל־ תִּתְמַ֖הּ עַל־ הַחֵ֑פֶץ כִּ֣י גָבֹ֜הַּ מֵעַ֤ל גָּבֹ֙הַ֙‪‬‪‬ שֹׁמֵ֔ר וּגְבֹהִ֖ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
9The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. 9וְיִתְר֥וֹן אֶ֖רֶץ בַּכֹּ֣ל [היא] (ה֑וּא) מֶ֥לֶךְ לְשָׂדֶ֖ה נֶעֱבָֽד׃
10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. 10אֹהֵ֥ב כֶּ֙סֶף֙ לֹא־ יִשְׂבַּ֣ע כֶּ֔סֶף וּמִֽי־ אֹהֵ֥ב בֶּהָמ֖וֹן לֹ֣א תְבוּאָ֑ה גַּם־ זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃
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? 11בִּרְבוֹת֙ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה רַבּ֖וּ אוֹכְלֶ֑יהָ וּמַה־ כִּשְׁרוֹן֙ לִבְעָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֖י אִם־ [ראית] (רְא֥וּת) עֵינָֽיו׃
12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. 12מְתוּקָה֙ שְׁנַ֣ת הָעֹבֵ֔ד אִם־ מְעַ֥ט וְאִם־ הַרְבֵּ֖ה יֹאכֵ֑ל וְהַשָּׂבָע֙ לֶֽעָשִׁ֔יר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ מַנִּ֥יחַֽ ל֖וֹ לִישֽׁוֹן׃
13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, 13יֵ֚שׁ רָעָ֣ה חוֹלָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֹ֛שֶׁר שָׁמ֥וּר לִבְעָלָ֖יו לְרָעָתֽוֹ׃
14or wealth lost in a bad venture, so that when he has a son there is nothing to pass on. 14וְאָבַ֛ד הָעֹ֥שֶׁר הַה֖וּא בְּעִנְיַ֣ן רָ֑ע וְהוֹלִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וְאֵ֥ין בְּיָד֖וֹ מְאֽוּמָה׃
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. 15כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָצָא֙ מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמּ֔וֹ עָר֛וֹם יָשׁ֥וּב לָלֶ֖כֶת כְּשֶׁבָּ֑א וּמְא֙וּמָה֙ לֹא־ יִשָּׂ֣א בַעֲמָל֔וֹ שֶׁיֹּלֵ֖ךְ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃
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? 16וְגַם־ זֹה֙ רָעָ֣ה חוֹלָ֔ה כָּל־ עֻמַּ֥ת שֶׁבָּ֖א כֵּ֣ן יֵלֵ֑ךְ וּמַה־ יִּתְר֣וֹן ל֔וֹ שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל לָרֽוּחַ׃
17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger. 17גַּ֥ם כָּל־ יָמָ֖יו בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יֹאכֵ֑ל וְכָעַ֥ס הַרְבֵּ֖ה וְחָלְי֥וֹ וָקָֽצֶף׃
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. 18הִנֵּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־ רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֗נִי ט֣וֹב אֲשֶׁר־ יָפֶ֣ה לֶֽאֶכוֹל־ וְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִרְא֨וֹת טוֹבָ֜ה בְּכָל־ עֲמָל֣וֹ ׀ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל תַּֽחַת־ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ מִסְפַּ֧ר יְמֵי־ [חיו] (חַיָּ֛יו‪‬‪‬) אֲשֶׁר־ נָֽתַן־ ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־ ה֥וּא חֶלְקֽוֹ׃
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. 19גַּ֣ם כָּֽל־ הָאָדָ֡ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָֽתַן־ ל֣וֹ הָאֱלֹהִים֩ עֹ֨שֶׁר וּנְכָסִ֜ים וְהִשְׁלִיט֨וֹ לֶאֱכֹ֤ל מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ וְלָשֵׂ֣את אֶת־ חֶלְק֔וֹ וְלִשְׂמֹ֖חַ בַּעֲמָל֑וֹ זֹ֕ה מַתַּ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא׃
20For [a man] seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. 20כִּ֚י לֹ֣א הַרְבֵּ֔ה יִזְכֹּ֖ר אֶת־ יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו כִּ֧י הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים מַעֲנֶ֖ה בְּשִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ׃
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Ecclesiastes 4
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