1 Be not unwise with your mouth, and let not your heart be quick to say anything before God, because God is in heaven and you are on the earth--so let not the number of your words be great.

17 שְׁמֹ֣ר רַגְלֶיךָ רַגְלְךָ֗ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָרֹ֣וב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי־אֵינָ֥ם יֹודְעִ֖ים לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות רָֽע׃

2 As a dream comes from much business, so the voice of a foolish man comes with words in great number.

1 אַל־תְּבַהֵ֨ל עַל־פִּ֜יךָ וְלִבְּךָ֧ אַל־יְמַהֵ֛ר לְהֹוצִ֥יא דָבָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְאַתָּ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַֽל־כֵּ֛ן³ יִהְי֥וּ דְבָרֶ֖יךָ מְעַטִּֽים׃

3 When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.

2 כִּ֛י בָּ֥א הַחֲלֹ֖ום בְּרֹ֣ב עִנְיָ֑ן וְקֹ֥ול כְּסִ֖יל בְּרֹ֥ב דְּבָרִֽים׃

4 It is better not to take an oath than to take an oath and not keep it.

3 כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ תִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים אַל־תְּאַחֵר֙ לְשַׁלְּמֹ֔ו כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין חֵ֖פֶץ בַּכְּסִילִ֑ים אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּדֹּ֖ר שַׁלֵּֽם׃

5 Let not your mouth make your flesh do evil. And say not before the angel, It was an error. So that God may not be angry with your words and put an end to the work of your hands.

4 טֹ֖וב אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־תִדֹּ֑ר מִשֶּׁתִּדֹּ֖ור וְלֹ֥א תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃

6 Because much talk comes from dreams and things of no purpose. But let the fear of God be in you.

5 אַל־תִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־פִּ֙יךָ֙ לַחֲטִ֣יא אֶת־בְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָ וְאַל־תֹּאמַר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ כִּ֥י שְׁגָגָ֖ה הִ֑יא לָ֣מָּה יִקְצֹ֤ף הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־קֹולֶ֔ךָ וְחִבֵּ֖ל אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדֶֽיךָ׃

7 If you see the poor under a cruel yoke, and law and right being violently overturned in a country, be not surprised, because one authority is keeping watch on another and there are higher than they.

6 כִּ֣י בְרֹ֤ב חֲלֹמֹות֙ וַהֲבָלִ֔ים וּדְבָרִ֖ים הַרְבֵּ֑ה כִּ֥י אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יְרָֽא׃

8 It is good generally for a country where the land is worked to have a king.

7 אִם־עֹ֣שֶׁק רָ֠שׁ וְגֵ֨זֶל מִשְׁפָּ֤ט וָצֶ֙דֶק֙ תִּרְאֶ֣ה בַמְּדִינָ֔ה אַל־תִּתְמַ֖הּ עַל־הַחֵ֑פֶץ כִּ֣י גָבֹ֜הַּ מֵעַ֤ל גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙ שֹׁמֵ֔ר וּגְבֹהִ֖ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

9 He who has a love for silver never has enough silver, or he who has love for wealth, enough profit. This again is to no purpose.

8 וְיִתְרֹ֥ון אֶ֖רֶץ בַּכֹּ֣ל הִיא ה֑וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ לְשָׂדֶ֖ה נֶעֱבָֽד׃

10 When goods are increased, the number of those who take of them is increased; and what profit has the owner but to see them?

9 אֹהֵ֥ב כֶּ֙סֶף֙ לֹא־יִשְׂבַּ֣ע כֶּ֔סֶף וּמִֽי־אֹהֵ֥ב בֶּהָמֹ֖ון לֹ֣א תְבוּאָ֑ה גַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

11 The sleep of a working man is sweet, if he has little food or much; but to him who is full, sleep will not come.

10 בִּרְבֹות֙ הַטֹּובָ֔ה רַבּ֖וּ אֹוכְלֶ֑יהָ וּמַה־כִּשְׁרֹון֙ לִבְעָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֖י אִם־ רְאִיַּת רְא֥וּת עֵינָֽיו׃

12 There is a great evil which I have seen under the sun--wealth kept by the owner to be his downfall.

11 מְתוּקָה֙ שְׁנַ֣ת הָעֹבֵ֔ד אִם־מְעַ֥ט וְאִם־הַרְבֵּ֖ה יֹאכֵ֑ל וְהַשָּׂבָע֙ לֶֽעָשִׁ֔יר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ מַנִּ֥יחַֽ לֹ֖ו לִישֹֽׁון׃

13 And I saw the destruction of his wealth by an evil chance; and when he became the father of a son he had nothing in his hand.

12 יֵ֚שׁ רָעָ֣ה חֹולָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֹ֛שֶׁר שָׁמ֥וּר לִבְעָלָ֖יו לְרָעָתֹֽו׃

14 As he came from his mother at birth, so does he go again; he gets from his work no reward which he may take away in his hand.

13 וְאָבַ֛ד הָעֹ֥שֶׁר הַה֖וּא בְּעִנְיַ֣ן רָ֑ע וְהֹולִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וְאֵ֥ין בְּיָדֹ֖ו מְאֽוּמָה׃

15 And this again is a great evil, that in all points as he came so will he go; and what profit has he in working for the wind?

14 כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָצָא֙ מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמֹּ֔ו עָרֹ֛ום יָשׁ֥וּב לָלֶ֖כֶת כְּשֶׁבָּ֑א וּמְא֙וּמָה֙ לֹא־יִשָּׂ֣א בַעֲמָלֹ֔ו שֶׁיֹּלֵ֖ךְ בְּיָדֹֽו׃

16 All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.

15 וְגַם־זֹה֙ רָעָ֣ה חֹולָ֔ה כָּל־עֻמַּ֥ת שֶׁבָּ֖א כֵּ֣ן יֵלֵ֑ךְ וּמַה־יִּתְרֹ֣ון לֹ֔ו שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל לָרֽוּחַ׃

17 This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.

16 גַּ֥ם כָּל־יָמָ֖יו בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יֹאכֵ֑ל וְכָעַ֥ס הַרְבֵּ֖ה וְחָלְיֹ֥ו וָקָֽצֶף׃

18 Every man to whom God has given money and wealth and the power to have pleasure in it and to do his part and have joy in his work: this is given by God.

17 הִנֵּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֗נִי טֹ֣וב אֲשֶׁר־יָפֶ֣ה לֶֽאֶכֹול־וְ֠לִשְׁתֹּות וְלִרְאֹ֨ות טֹובָ֜ה בְּכָל־עֲמָלֹ֣ו׀ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל תַּֽחַת־הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ מִסְפַּ֧ר יְמֵי־ חַיָּו חַיָּ֛יו^q אֲשֶׁר־נָֽתַן־לֹ֥ו הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־ה֥וּא חֶלְקֹֽו׃

19 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.

18 גַּ֣ם כָּֽל־הָאָדָ֡ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָֽתַן־לֹ֣ו הָאֱלֹהִים֩ עֹ֨שֶׁר וּנְכָסִ֜ים וְהִשְׁלִיטֹ֨ו לֶאֱכֹ֤ל מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ וְלָשֵׂ֣את אֶת־חֶלְקֹ֔ו וְלִשְׂמֹ֖חַ בַּעֲמָלֹ֑ו זֹ֕ה מַתַּ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא׃