Ecclesiastes 5:20

JPS Old Testament

span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="ecc.5.1" class="versetxt"> Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they. But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt; and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath. Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour--this is the gift of God. For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

Hebrew Names Version
For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

King James Version
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

English Standard Version
For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

New American Standard Bible
For he will not often call to mind the years of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

New Century Version
They do not worry about how short life is, because God keeps them busy with what they love to do.

Amplified Bible
For he will not often consider the [troubled] days of his life, because God keeps him occupied and focused on the joy of his heart [and the tranquility of God indwells him].

World English Bible
For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Surely hee will not much remember the dayes of his life, because God answereth to the ioy of his heart.

Legacy Standard Bible
For he will not remember much the days of his life because God allows him to occupy himself with the gladness of his heart.

Berean Standard Bible
For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

Contemporary English Version
God will keep you so happy that you won't have time to worry about each day.

Complete Jewish Bible
class="poetry"> Don't speak impulsively — don't be in a hurry to give voice to your words before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; so let your words be few. For nightmares come from worrying too much; and a fool, when he speaks, chatters too much. If you make a vow to God, don't delay in discharging it. For God takes no pleasure in fools, so discharge your vow! Better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not discharge it. Don't let your words make you guilty, and don't tell the temple official that you made the vow by mistake. Why give God reason to be angry at what you say and destroy what you have accomplished? For [this is what happens when there are too] many dreams, aimless activities and words. Instead, just fear God! If you see the poor oppressed, rights violated and justice perverted in the province, don't be surprised; for a high official has one higher watching him, and there are others above them. But the greatest advantage to the country is when the king makes himself a servant to the land. The lover of money never has enough money; the lover of luxury never has enough income. This too is pointless. When the quantity of goods increases, so does the number of parasites consuming them; so the only advantage to the owner is that he gets to watch them do it. The sleep of a working man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the overfullness of the rich won't let them sleep at all. Here is a gross evil which I have seen under the sun: the owner of wealth hoards it to his own hurt. Due to some misfortune, the wealth turns to loss; and then if he has fathered a son, he has nothing to leave him. Just as he came from his mother's womb, so he will go back naked as he came, and for his efforts he will take nothing that he can carry away in his hand. This too is a gross evil, that in every respect as he came, so will he go; thus what profit does he have after toiling to earn the wind? All his life he eats in darkness, in frustration, in sickness and in anger. This is what I have seen to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, drink and enjoy the good that results from all his work that he engages in under the sun for all the days of his life that God has given him, for this is his allotted portion. Also, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, along with the power to enjoy it, so that he takes his allotted portion and finds pleasure in his work — this is a gift of God; for he will not brood over the fact that his life is short, since God keeps him occupied with what will bring him joy.

Darby Translation
For he will not much remember the days of his life, because God answereth [him] with the joy of his heart.

Easy-to-Read Version
People don't have many years to live, so they must remember these things all their life. God will keep them busy with the work they love to do.

George Lamsa Translation
For he shall remember no more the days of his life; because God will keep him busy with the joy of his heart.

Good News Translation
Since God has allowed us to be happy, we will not worry too much about how short life is.

Lexham English Bible
For he does not remember the brief days of his life, for God keeps his heart preoccupied with enjoyment of life.

Literal Translation
For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answers him in the joy of his heart.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For he thinketh not moch how longe he shal lyue, for so moch as God fylleth his hert with gladnesse.

American Standard Version
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Bible in Basic English
He will not give much thought to the days of his life; because God lets him be taken up with the joy of his heart.

King James Version (1611)
For he shall not much remember the dayes of his life: because God answereth him in the ioy of his heart.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For he thinketh not much howe long he shall lyue, forasmuch as God fylleth his heart with gladnesse.

English Revised Version
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For he schal not bithenke miche on the daies of his lijf, for God ocupieth his herte with delicis.

Update Bible Version
For he shall not remember much the days of his life; because God answers [him] in the joy of his heart.

Webster's Bible Translation
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart.

New English Translation
For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.

New King James Version
For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

New Living Translation
God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.

New Life Bible
For he will not think much about the years of his life, because God keeps him happy in his heart.

New Revised Standard
For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Though it be not much, let him remember the days of his life, - for, God, beareth witness, by the gladness of his heart.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(5-19) For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God entertaineth his heart with delight.

Revised Standard Version
For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Young's Literal Translation
For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour--this is the gift of God. ¹⁹ For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart. ²⁰span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="ecc.5.1" class="versetxt"> Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they. But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt; and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath. Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour--this is the gift of God. For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

For he shall not much remember: or, Though he give not much, yet he rembemereth, etc. Psalms 37:16

because: Deuteronomy 28:8-12, Deuteronomy 28:47, Psalms 4:6, Psalms 4:7, Isaiah 64:5, Isaiah 65:13, Isaiah 65:14, Isaiah 65:21-24, Romans 5:1, Romans 5:5-11

Reciprocal: Job 11:16 - Because

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For he shall not much remember the days of his life,.... Be they more or fewer, as Jarchi: he will not think life long and tedious; nor dwell upon, and distress himself with, the troubles he has met with, or is likely to meet with; but, being content with the good things God has given him, and freely and cheerfully enjoying them, he passes away his time delightfully and pleasantly. Some, as Aben Ezra observes, and which he approves of, and is agreeably to the accents, render the words, "if he [has] not much, he remembers the days of his life" t; if he has but little of the good things of this life, he remembers how few his days are he has to live; and doubts not he shall have enough to carry him to the end of his days, and therefore is quite easy and content; he calls to mind how he has been supplied all his days hitherto, and is persuaded that that God, who has provided for him, will continue his goodness to him, and that he shall not want any good thing; and therefore does not distress himself with what is to come;

because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart; he calls upon God for a blessing on his labours, asks of him his daily food, and desires what may be proper and sufficient for him, or what he judges is necessary and convenient; and God answers his prayers and petitions, and good wishes, by filling his heart with food and gladness; and giving him that cheerfulness of spirit, and thankfulness of heart, in the enjoyment of every blessing; and especially if along with it he lifts up the light of his countenance, and grants him joy in the Holy Ghost; he will go on so pleasantly and comfortably as to forget all his former troubles; and it will dissipate his doubts and fears about how he shall live for the future.

t כי לא הרבה יזכר "quod si non multum recordabitur dierum vitae suae", Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The days will pass smoothly and pleasantly, while he lives in the consciousness of God’s favor.

Answereth him - i. e., grants his prayers.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 5:20. For he shall not much remember — The person who acts in this way, extracts all the good requisite from life. He passes through things temporal so as not to lose those that are eternal: -

"Calm and serene, the road of life to him,

Or long or short, rugged or smooth, with thorns

O'erspread, or gay with flowers, is but a road.

Such fare as offers grateful he accepts,

And smiling to his native home proceeds."

C.