1Don’t be impulsive and hasty with words in the presence of God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. For that reason let your words be few.
2For dreams come from over-anxiety and foolish talk from too many words.
3When you make a vow to God, waste no time in fulfilling it, for he takes no pleasure in fools. Do what you vowed.
4Better not to make a vow than to fail to fulfill it.
5Don’t let your speech cause you to sin, and then tell God’s minister it was a mistake. Why anger God by what you say and destroy the work of your hands? From much dreaming and many words comes emptiness. 6So fear God.
7If you see the poor oppressed, right and justice denied in the province, do not be surprised, for over a high-placed official a higher one watches, and over both of these a still higher one watches. 8The produce of the land benefits everyone and the king serves the land.
9Whoever loves money will not be satisfied with money. Whoever loves wealth hasn’t sufficient income. This is senseless.
10When there is abundance of good things there is abundance of consumers. What profit is there for the owner except to look on?
11Sweet the sleep of the laborer, whether he eats little or much. But the rich man who has had his fill cannot sleep.
12There is a great evil that I found under the sun, the rich man who kept his wealth to his own harm. 13A mistaken investment and these riches are lost; a son is born but there is nothing to leave him.
14Naked he came from his mother’s womb, he returns as he came – naked. Nothing of the fruit of his toil is he able to take with him.
15That, too, is a grievous evil: As he came, so he goes. So what did he gain from chasing the wind? 16Why did he eat in darkness all through his life, amidst great sorrow, suffering and vexation?
17This is what I saw as most fitting for man: to eat, drink and be happy in all the work he does under the sun during the days God grants him; this is his reward. 18And when God gives a man riches and property with the possibility of enjoying them and being happy in his work, this is a gift from God. 19As long as God keeps him occupied in the gladness of his heart, he is not concerned about how long he will live.
