Approaching God with Awe
1Keepthy footwhen thou goestto the houseof God,and be more readyto hear,than to givethe sacrificeof fools:for they considernot that they doevil.2Be not rashwith thy mouth,and let not thine heartbe hastyto utter[any] thingbeforeGod:for God[is] in heaven,and thou upon earth:therefore let thy wordsbe few.3For a dreamcomeththrough the multitudeof business;and a fool'svoice[is known] by multitudeof words.
4When thou vowesta vowunto God,defernot to payit; for [he hath] no pleasurein fools:paythat which thou hast vowed.5Better[is it] that thou shouldest not vow,than that thou shouldest vowand not pay.6Suffernot thy mouthto cause thy fleshto sin;neither saythou beforethe angel,that it [was] an error:wherefore should Godbe angryat thy voice,and destroythe workof thine hands?7For in the multitudeof dreamsand manywords[there are] also [divers] vanities:but fearthou God.
Wealth is Meaningless
8If thou seestthe oppressionof the poor,and violentperverting of judgmentand justicein a province,marvelnot at the matter:for [he that is] higherthan the highestregardeth;and [there be] higherthan they.9Moreover the profitof the earthis for all: the king[himself] is servedby the field.
10He that lovethsilvershall not be satisfiedwith silver;nor he that lovethabundancewith increase:this [is] also vanity.11When goodsincrease,they are increasedthat eatthem: and what good[is there] to the ownersthereof, savingthe beholding[of them] with their eyes?12The sleepof a labouring man[is] sweet,whether he eatlittleor much:but the abundanceof the richwill not sufferhim to sleep.
13There isa soreevil[which] I have seenunder the sun,[namely], richeskeptfor the ownersthereof to their hurt.14But those richesperishby eviltravail:and he begettetha son,and [there is] nothingin his hand.15As he came forthof his mother'swomb,nakedshall he returnto goas he came,and shall takenothingof his labour,which he may carry awayin his hand.16And thisalso [is] a soreevil,[that] in all pointsas he came,so shall he go:and what profithath he that hath labouredfor the wind?17All his daysalso he eatethin darkness,and [he hath] muchsorrowand wrathwith his sickness.
18Behold [that] which I have seen:[it is] goodand comely[for one] to eatand to drink,and to enjoythe goodof all his labourthat he takethunder the sunallthe daysof his life,which Godgivethhim: for it [is] his portion.19Every manalso to whom Godhath givenrichesand wealth,and hath given him powerto eatthereof, and to takehis portion,and to rejoicein his labour;this[is] the giftof God.20For he shall not muchrememberthe daysof his life;because Godanswereth[him] in the joyof his heart.
