1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God {Elohim, Object of Worship}, and draw near to listen rather than to bring the sacrifice of fools {kesilim: morally dull ones}, because they do not realize that they are doing evil.
2 Do not let your mouth be quick, and do not let your heart be in a hurry to bring out a word before God {Elohim, Supreme Judge}; for God is in the heavens and you are on the earth, therefore let your words be few {devarekha: spoken expressions}.
3 For a dream {chalom: mental vision} arises amid much activity, and a fool is disclosed by abundant words {devarim: things spoken}.
4 When you make a vow to God {Elohim, Supreme Judge}, do not be slow to pay it, for He has no pleasure in fools {kesil: morally senseless}; what you vowed, pay.
5 It is better to refrain from vowing than to vow {she-tidor: binding vow} and not pay {teshalem: fulfill obligation}.
6 Do not let your mouth {pikha: speech, personal utterance} bring your body into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake; why should God {haElohim, Moral Judge} be angry at your voice and ruin the work of your hands?
7 For with many dreams and vanities {havalim: emptiness, futility} and many words, emptiness comes—therefore fear God {Elohim, Reverence Commander}.
8 If you witness the poor being oppressed and justice and righteousness being stripped away in the province {medinah: administrative district}, do not be astonished by the circumstances; for a watcher {shomer: guardian} higher than the high observes, and there are still higher ones above them.
9 Yet the advantage {veyitron: surplus gain} of the land is for everyone: even a king {melekh: royal authority} is supported by the field that is worked.
10 Whoever loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, and whoever loves abundance {behamon: plentiful supply} will not be satisfied with gain; this also is vanity {havel: emptiness}.
11 When good things {hatovah: good fortune} increase, those who consume them also increase; what surplus amount {yeter: surplus amount} remains for the owners except to look at them with their eyes?
12 Sweet is the sleep of the laborer{ha-oved: one who toils}, whether he eats little or much, but the fullness{hasseva: a full stomach} of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil {ra’ah: severe adversity} that I have seen under the sun: wealth safeguarded {shamur: vigilantly guarded} by its owner, yet it harms him.
14 Those riches were lost in an evil undertaking {inyan: adverse situation}, and he fathered a son, yet nothing {meumah: complete absence} remained in his hand.
15 As he came out from his mother’s womb, naked {arom: utterly without possessions}, so he will return to go as he came, carrying nothing from his labor {amalo: toilsome work} in his hand.
16 And this too is a grievous evil {raʿah: Severe Calamity}: in every way, as one comes, so one goes; and what profit {yitron: Enduring Profit} is there for one who labors for the wind?
17 Also, all his days he eats in darkness {choshekh: deep gloom}, with much sorrow, his sickness {choli: affliction}, and wrath.
18 Look, what I have seen is this: it is good and fitting for a person to eat and to drink and to enjoy goodness in all his labor under the sun during the few {mispar: brief, limited} days of his life that God {Elohim, Blessing Giver} has given him; for this is his portion.
19 Also, every person to whom God {Elohim, Gift Giver} has given riches and possessions, has granted him the ability to eat from them, to accept his portion {chelek: allotted share}, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not often remember the days of his life, because God {Elohim, Joy-Giver} keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart {libbo: inner self}.