1 Keep your foot when you go to the house of God; for to draw near to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they don't even know how to do evil.

2 Don't be rash with your mouth, and don't let your heart be in a hurry to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you are on earth: therefore let your words be few.

3 For a dream comes with a multitude of business, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words.

4 When you vow a vow to God, don't defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay that which you vow.

5 It is better that you should not vow, than you should vow and not pay.

6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; neither say before the angel, that it was an unintentional [error]: why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

7 For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear God.

8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, don't marvel at the matter: for one higher than the high regards; and there are higher than those.

9 And the advantage of a land is for everyone. There is a king to [protect] the cultivated field.

10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

11 When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to the owner of them, except for looking at [them] with his eyes?

12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the fullness of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept by their owner to his hurt:

14 and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he has begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

15 As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked he will go again as he came, and will take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so he will go: and what profit does he have that he labors for the wind?

17 All his days also he eats in darkness, and he is intensely vexed, and has sickness and wrath.

18 Look, that which I have seen to be good and to be beautiful is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him: for this is his portion.

19 All among man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God.

20 For he will not remember much the days of his life; because God answers [him] in the joy of his heart.