Ecclesiastes 5 - New Life Version (NLV)

Do What You Promise

5 Watch your steps as you go to the house of God. Go near and listen but do not give the gift of fools. For they do not know they are sinning. 2 Do not hurry to speak or be in a hurry as you think what to tell God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth. So let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much work, and the voice of a fool comes with many words. 4 When you make a promise to God, do not be late in paying it, for He is not pleased with fools. Pay what you promise to pay! 5 It is better not to make a promise, than to make a promise and not pay it. 6 Do not let your mouth cause you to sin. And do not say to the one sent from God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry because of what you said, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when there are many dreams, there are many empty words. Instead of this, honor God with fear.

Money and Honor Are of Little Worth

8 In one part of a land if you see a bad power held over the poor, and what is right and fair and good taken away, do not be surprised by what you see. For one leader watches over another leader, and more important leaders watch over them. 9 After all, a country does better with a king in power.

10 He who loves money will never have enough money to make him happy. It is the same for the one who loves to get many things. This also is for nothing. 11 When there are more good things, there are also more people to eat them. So what does their owner get except to see them with his eyes? 12 The sleep of the working man is pleasing, if he eats little or much. But the full stomach of the rich man does not let him sleep.

13 There is something very wrong which I have seen under the sun: Riches being kept by the owner and he is hurt by them. 14 When those riches are lost because he used them in a wrong way, and he had become the father of a son, there was nothing left for him. 15 A man comes from his mother without clothing, and he will go as he came. He will take nothing from his work that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is very wrong: As a man is born, this is the way he will leave. So what does the man get who works for the wind? 17 All his life he eats in darkness with much sorrow, sickness and anger.

18 This is what I have seen to be good and right: to eat and to drink and be happy in all the work one does under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him. For this is his reward. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and many good things, He has also given him the power to eat from them, receive his reward and be happy in his work. This is the gift of God. 20 For he will not think much about the years of his life, because God keeps him happy in his heart.

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Ecclesiastes 5 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

5 Keep thy feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil. 2 Cause not thy mouth to hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou on the earth, th...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

5 Thou that enterest into the house of God, keep thy foot, and nigh thou for to hear; for why much better is obedience, than the sacrifice of fools, that know not what evil they do. (Thou who enterest into the House of God, keep thy foot, and draw close to hear; for obedience is much better than the...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - World English Bible (WEB)

5 Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil. 2 Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Th...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - The Voice (VOICE)

How often people have arisen from relative obscurity to lead great movements in society! The Bible itself is full of such stories: Joseph goes from slave to prisoner to vizier of Egypt; David goes from shepherd to king of Israel; Esther goes from foreign exile to queen of Persia; Peter goes from fis...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

5 Do not be quick with your mouth nor hasty in your heart to utter a word in God’s presence.For God is in heaven, and you are on the earth—therefore, let your words be few.2 As a dream comes with excessive burdensso a fool’s voice with too many words.3 When you swear a vow to God, don’t delay in ful...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Reverence, Humility, and Contentment5 [a] 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. 2 [b]Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God,...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Reverence, Humility, and Contentment5 [a] Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.[b] 2 [c] Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word bef...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Reverence, Humility, and Contentment5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools, for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.[b](A)2 [c]Never be rash with your mouth nor let your heart be quick to utter a word befor...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Approaching God with Care5 [a]As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 [b]Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your wo...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New Life Version (NLV)

Do What You Promise5 Watch your steps as you go to the house of God. Go near and listen but do not give the gift of fools. For they do not know they are sinning. 2 Do not hurry to speak or be in a hurry as you think what to tell God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth. So let your words ...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Fear God, Keep Your Vows5 Walk (A)prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather (B)than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. 2 Do not be (C)rash with your mouth,And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.For God is in heaven,...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Fulfil your vow to God5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. 2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.God is in heaven and you are o...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New International Version (NIV)

Fulfill Your Vow to God5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. 2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.(A)God is in heaven and you a...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Keep Your Promise to God5 Be careful what you say when you go to God’s house. Go there to listen. Don’t be like foolish people when you offer your sacrifice. They do what is wrong and don’t even know it. 2 Don’t be too quick to speak. Don’t be in a hurry to say anything to God.God is in heaven. You ...
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Ecclesiastes 5 - New English Translation (NET)

Rash Vows5 (4:17)[a] Be careful what you do[b] when you go to the temple[c] of God;draw near to listen[d] rather than to offer a sacrifice[e] like fools,[f]for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.2 (5:1) Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God,...
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