Ecclesiastes 5 | Biblion Bible Reader

WEB·Ecclesiastes 6

¹There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

KJVThere is^H3426 an evil^H7451 which I have seen^H7200^(H8804) under the sun^H8121, and it is common^H7227 among men^H120:

² a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

KJVA man^H376 to whom God^H430 hath given^H5414^(H8799) riches^H6239, wealth^H5233, and honour^H3519, so that he wanteth^H2638 nothing for his soul^H5315 of all that he desireth^H183^(H8691), yet God^H430 giveth him not power^H7980^(H8686) to eat^H398^(H8800) thereof, but a stranger^H376^H5237 eateth^H398^(H8799) it: this is vanity^H1892, and it is an evil^H7451 disease^H2483.

³ If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;

KJVIf a man^H376 beget^H3205^(H8686) an hundred^H3967 children, and live^H2421^(H8799) many^H7227 years^H8141, so that the days^H3117 of his years^H8141 be many^H7227, and his soul^H5315 be not filled^H7646^(H8799) with good^H2896, and also that he have no burial^H6900; I say^H559^(H8804), that an untimely birth^H5309 is better^H2896 than he.

⁴ for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

KJVFor he cometh^H935^(H8804) in with vanity^H1892, and departeth^H3212^(H8799) in darkness^H2822, and his name^H8034 shall be covered^H3680^(H8792) with darkness^H2822.

⁵ Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

KJVMoreover he hath not seen^H7200^(H8804) the sun^H8121, nor known^H3045^(H8804) any thing: this^H2088 hath more rest^H5183 than^H2088 the other.

⁶ Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?

KJVYea, though^H432 he live^H2421^(H8804) a thousand^H505 years^H8141 twice^H6471 told, yet hath he seen^H7200^(H8804) no good^H2896: do not all go^H1980^(H8802) to one^H259 place^H4725?

⁷ All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

KJVAll the labour^H5999 of man^H120 is for his mouth^H6310, and yet the appetite^H5315 is not filled^H4390^(H8735).

⁸ For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

KJVFor what hath the wise^H2450 more^H3148 than the fool^H3684? what hath the poor^H6041, that knoweth^H3045^(H8802) to walk^H1980^(H8800) before the living^H2416?

⁹ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

KJVBetter^H2896 is the sight^H4758 of the eyes^H5869 than the wandering^H1980^(H8800) of the desire^H5315: this is also vanity^H1892 and vexation^H7469 of spirit^H7307.

¹⁰ Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

KJVThat which hath been is named^H7121^(H8738)^H8034 already^H3528, and it is known^H3045^(H8737) that it is man^H120: neither may^H3201^(H8799) he contend^H1777^(H8800) with him that is mightier^H8623 than he.

¹¹ For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

KJVSeeing there be^H3426 many^H7235^(H8687) things^H1697 that increase^H7235^(H8688) vanity^H1892, what is man^H120 the better^H3148?

¹² For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

KJVFor who knoweth^H3045^(H8802) what is good^H2896 for man^H120 in this life^H2416, all^H4557 the days^H3117 of his vain^H1892 life^H2416 which he spendeth^H6213^(H8799) as a shadow^H6738? for who can tell^H5046^(H8686) a man^H120 what shall be after^H310 him under the sun^H8121?

WEB·Ecclesiastes 5

¹Guard 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.

KJVKeep^H8104^(H8798) thy foot^H7272 when thou goest^H3212^(H8799) to the house^H1004 of God^H430, and be more ready^H7138 to hear^H8085^(H8800), than to give^H5414^(H8800) the sacrifice^H2077 of fools^H3684: for they consider^H3045^(H8802) not that they do^H6213^(H8800) evil^H7451.

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. Therefore let your words be few.

KJVBe not rash^H926^(H8762) with thy mouth^H6310, and let not thine heart^H3820 be hasty^H4116^(H8762) to utter^H3318^(H8687) any thing^H1697 before^H6440 God^H430: for God^H430 is in heaven^H8064, and thou upon earth^H776: therefore let thy words^H1697 be few^H4592.

³ For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

KJVFor a dream^H2472 cometh^H935^(H8802) through the multitude^H7230 of business^H6045; and a fool's^H3684 voice^H6963 is known by multitude^H7230 of words^H1697.

⁴ When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

KJVWhen thou vowest^H5087^(H8799) a vow^H5088 unto God^H430, defer^H309^(H8762) not to pay^H7999^(H8763) it; for he hath no pleasure^H2656 in fools^H3684: pay^H7999^(H8761) that which thou hast vowed^H5087^(H8799).

⁵ It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

KJVBetter^H2896 is it that thou shouldest not vow^H5087^(H8799), than that thou shouldest vow^H5087^(H8799) and not pay^H7999^(H8762).

⁶ Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

KJVSuffer^H5414^(H8799) not thy mouth^H6310 to cause thy flesh^H1320 to sin^H2398^(H8687); neither say^H559^(H8799) thou before^H6440 the angel^H4397, that it was an error^H7684: wherefore should God^H430 be angry^H7107^(H8799) at thy voice^H6963, and destroy^H2254^(H8765) the work^H4639 of thine hands^H3027?

⁷ For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God.

KJVFor in the multitude^H7230 of dreams^H2472 and many^H7235^(H8687) words^H1697 there are also divers vanities^H1892: but fear^H3372^(H8798) thou God^H430.

⁸ If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.

KJVIf thou seest^H7200^(H8799) the oppression^H6233 of the poor^H7326^(H8802), and violent^H1499 perverting of judgment^H4941 and justice^H6664 in a province^H4082, marvel^H8539^(H8799) not at the matter^H2656: for he that is higher^H1364 than the highest^H1364 regardeth^H8104^(H8802); and there be higher^H1364 than they^H5921.

⁹ Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

KJVMoreover the profit^H3504 of the earth^H776 is for all: the king^H4428 himself is served^H5647^(H8738) by the field^H7704.

¹⁰ He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

KJVHe that loveth^H157^(H8802) silver^H3701 shall not be satisfied^H7646^(H8799) with silver^H3701; nor he that loveth^H157^(H8802) abundance^H1995 with increase^H8393: this is also vanity^H1892.

¹¹ When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

KJVWhen goods^H2896 increase^H7235^(H8800), they are increased^H7231^(H8804) that eat^H398^(H8802) them: and what good^H3788 is there to the owners^H1167 thereof, saving^H518 the beholding^H7207^(H8675)^H7212^(H8801) of them with their eyes^H5869?

¹² The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

KJVThe sleep^H8142 of a labouring man^H5647^(H8802) is sweet^H4966, whether he eat^H398^(H8799) little^H4592 or much^H7235^(H8687): but the abundance^H7647 of the rich^H6223 will not suffer^H3240^(H8688) him to sleep^H3462^(H8800).

¹³ There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

KJVThere is^H3426 a sore^H2470^(H8802) evil^H7451 which I have seen^H7200^(H8804) under the sun^H8121, namely, riches^H6239 kept^H8104^(H8803) for the owners^H1167 thereof to their hurt^H7451.

¹⁴ Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

KJVBut those riches^H6239 perish^H6^(H8804) by evil^H7451 travail^H6045: and he begetteth^H3205^(H8689) a son^H1121, and there is nothing^H3972 in his hand^H3027.

¹⁵ As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

KJVAs he came forth^H3318^(H8804) of his mother's^H517 womb^H990, naked^H6174 shall he return^H7725^(H8799) to go^H3212^(H8800) as he came^H935^(H8804), and shall take^H5375^(H8799) nothing^H3972 of his labour^H5999, which he may carry away^H3212^(H8686) in his hand^H3027.

¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

KJVAnd this^H2090 also is a sore^H2470^(H8802) evil^H7451, that in all points^H5980 as he came^H935^(H8804), so shall he go^H3212^(H8799): and what profit^H3504 hath he that hath laboured^H5998^(H8799) for the wind^H7307?

¹⁷ All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

KJVAll his days^H3117 also he eateth^H398^(H8799) in darkness^H2822, and he hath much^H7235^(H8687) sorrow^H3707^(H8804) and wrath^H7110 with his sickness^H2483.

¹⁸ Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

KJVBehold that which I have seen^H7200^(H8804): it is good^H2896 and comely^H3303 for one to eat^H398^(H8800) and to drink^H8354^(H8800), and to enjoy^H7200^(H8800) the good^H2896 of all his labour^H5999 that he taketh^H5998^(H8799) under the sun^H8121 all^H4557 the days^H3117 of his life^H2416, which God^H430 giveth^H5414^(H8804) him: for it is his portion^H2506.

¹⁹ Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

KJVEvery man^H120 also to whom God^H430 hath given^H5414^(H8804) riches^H6239 and wealth^H5233, and hath given him power^H7980^(H8689) to eat^H398^(H8800) thereof, and to take^H5375^(H8800) his portion^H2506, and to rejoice^H8055^(H8800) in his labour^H5999; this^H2090 is the gift^H4991 of God^H430.

²⁰ For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

KJVFor he shall not much^H7235^(H8687) remember^H2142^(H8799) the days^H3117 of his life^H2416; because God^H430 answereth^H6031^(H8688) him in the joy^H8057 of his heart^H3820.

Section titles come from the Biblion commentary, not from Scripture.

You can also read or listen to the Introduction to the book of Ecclesiastes.