Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to
listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do
not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth,
nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is
in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many
words.
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no
pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should
not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth
lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was
a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the
work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many,
there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the
violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the
matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are
yet higher ones over them. But this is gain for a land in every
way: a king committed to cultivated fields.
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who
loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods
increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their
owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a
laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of
the rich will not let him sleep.
There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches
were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in
a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his
hand. As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as
he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away
in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so
shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?
Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and
sickness and anger.
Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and
drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under
the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this
is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and
possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and
rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much
remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with
joy in his heart.
