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For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.

But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.

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.

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.

a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.

All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.

and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

And so I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity.

but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before God.

For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.

If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.