16THERE NOT [IS] AN END TO ALL THE PEOPLE TO ALL [THOSE] WHOM HE WAS <TO> BEFORE THEM ALSO THE SUBSEQUENT [PEOPLE] NOT THEY WILL REJOICE IN <THE> HIM FOR ALSO THIS [IS] FUTILITY AND A STRIVING OF WIND 16There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
1GUARD FOOT YOUR <JUST> WHEN YOU WILL GO TO [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> GOD AND DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN MORE THAN GIVING THE FOOLS A SACRIFICE FOR NOT THEY [ARE] KNOWING TO DO EVIL Approaching God with Fear 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.
2MAY NOT YOU BE HASTY ON MOUTH YOUR AND HEART YOUR MAY NOT IT HASTEN TO BRING FORTH A MATTER <TO> BEFORE <THE> GOD FOR <THE> GOD [IS] IN THE HEAVENS AND YOU [ARE] ON THE EARTH THERE- -FORE LET THEM BE WORDS YOUR FEW 2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
3FOR IT COMES THE DREAM WITH ABUNDANCE OF BUSINESS AND [THE] VOICE A FOOL WITH A MULTITUDE OF WORDS 3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
4<JUST> WHEN YOU WILL VOW A VOW TO GOD MAY NOT YOU DELAY TO PAY IT FOR THERE NOT [IS] PLEASURE IN <THE> FOOLS <OBJ.> [THAT] WHICH YOU WILL VOW PAY 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
5[IS] GOOD THAT NOT YOU WILL VOW MORE THAN WHAT YOU WILL VOW AND NOT YOU WILL PAY 5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
6MAY NOT YOU PERMIT <OBJ.> MOUTH YOUR TO CAUSE TO SIN <OBJ.> FLESH YOUR AND MAY NOT YOU SAY <TO> BEFORE THE MESSENGER THAT [WAS] INADVERTENCE IT <TO> WHY? WILL HE BE ANGRY <THE> GOD TOWARDS VOICE YOUR AND HE WILL DESTROY <OBJ.> [THE] WORK OF HANDS YOUR 6Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin and do not tell the messenger*NoteCloseOr angel that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?
7FOR IN ABUNDANCE OF DREAMS AND FUTILITIES AND WORDS MANY FOR <OBJ.> <THE> GOD FEAR 7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
8IF OPPRESSION OF A POOR PERSON AND ROBBERY OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS YOU WILL SEE IN THE PROVINCE DO NOT BE ASTONISHED ON THE MATTER FOR A HIGH [ONE] <FROM> OVER A HIGH [ONE] [IS] WATCHING AND HIGH [ONES] OVER THEM The Futility of Wealth (Psalm 49:1–20) 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 others higher still are over them.
9AND [THE] PROFIT OF A LAND [IS] IN <THE> EVERYTHING IT A KING TO A FIELD HE HAS BEEN SERVED 9The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10[ONE WHO] LOVES SILVER NOT HE WILL BE SATISFIED SILVER AND WHOEVER [IS] LOVING <IN> <THE> WEALTH NOT INCOME ALSO THIS [IS] FUTILITY 10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
11WHEN INCREASES THE GOOD THEY INCREASE [THOSE WHO] CONSUME IT AND WHAT? PROFIT [BELONGS] TO OWNER<S> ITS THAT EXCEPT [THE] SIGHT OF EYES HIS 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?
12[IS] SWEET [THE] SLEEP OF THE LABORER WHETHER A LITTLE AND OR [SURELY] MUCH HE WILL EAT AND THE PLENTY OF THE RICH [PERSON] NOT IT [IS] PERMITTING <TO> <THE> HIM TO SLEEP 12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.
13THERE [IS] AN EVIL SEVERE [WHICH] I HAVE SEEN UNDER THE SUN WEALTH [WAS] BEING KEPT BY OWNER<S> ITS TO HARM HIS 13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
14AND IT WAS LOST THE WEALTH <THE> THAT IN A BUSINESS OF EVIL AND HE FATHERED A SON AND NOT [WAS] IN HAND HIS ANYTHING 14or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
15JUST AS HE CAME OUT FROM [THE] WOMB OF MOTHER HIS NAKED HE WILL RETURN TO GO WHEN HE CAME AND ANYTHING NOT HE WILL CARRY IN TOIL HIS THAT HE MAY TAKE IN HAND HIS 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.
16AND ALSO THIS [IS] AN EVIL SEVERE LIKE EXACTLY AS [THAT] WHICH <HE> CAME SO HE WILL GO AND WHAT? [IS THE] PROFIT [BELONGS] TO <THE> HIM THAT HE WILL TOIL FOR THE WIND 16This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?
17ALSO ALL DAYS HIS IN <THE> DARKNESS HE EATS AND HE IS VEXED GREATLY AND SICKNESS HIS AND ANGER 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
18HERE! [THAT] WHICH I HAVE SEEN I [TO BE] GOOD [THAT] WHICH [IS] BEAUTIFUL [IS] TO EAT AND TO DRINK AND TO SEE GOOD IN ALL TOIL HIS THAT SOMEONE WILL TOIL UNDER THE SUN [THE] NUMBER OF [THE] DAYS OF LIFE HIS WHICH HE HAS GIVEN TO <THE> HIM <THE> GOD FOR THAT [IS] PORTION HIS 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.
19ALSO EVERY <THE> PERSON WHOM HE HAS GIVEN TO <THE> HIM <THE> GOD WEALTH AND RICHES AND HE HAS GIVEN POWER HIM TO EAT FROM IT AND TO RECEIVE <OBJ.> PORTION HIS AND TO REJOICE IN TOIL HIS THIS [IS] A GIFT OF GOD IT 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.
20FOR NOT [SURELY] MUCH HE WILL REMEMBER <OBJ.> [THE] DAYS OF LIFE HIS FOR <THE> GOD [IS] KEEPING BUSY WITH [THE] JOY OF HEART HIS 20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.