LEB ECC Chapter 5

Listen to God Rather Than Uttering Rash Vows

• draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice of fools,
  • for they do not know that they are doing evil.
• 2  and do not let your heart be quick to utter a word before God.
• For God is in heaven, and you are on earth;
  • therefore, let your words be few.
  • 3  and the voice of a fool with many words.
  • 4  do not delay in fulfilling it,
• for[fn] in fools.
  • Fulfill what you vow!
  • 5  than that you vow and not fulfill it.
  • 6  and do not tell the messenger that it was a mistake.
• Why anger God at your words,
  • so that he destroys the work of your hands?
  • 7 come vanities and numerous words. Therefore, fear God!

Powerful Bureaucrats Exploit the Helpless Poor

• 8 or do not see justice and righteousness in the province.
• For one official is watched by a higher official,
  • and there are even higher officials over them!
  • 9  of the poor[fn]

There is Never Enough Money to Satisfy

• 10 with money, and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit.
• This also is vanity!
  • 11  those who consume it increase.
  • except to see his wealth before it is spent[fn]
  • 12 is pleasant, whether he eats little or much, but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest.

Hoarding Wealth Can Backfire

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded[fn] by its owner to his harm. 14 That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, he has nothing to leave to him.[fn] 15 Just as he came from his mother’s womb naked, he will depart[fn] just as he came; he will take nothing with him for his toil. 16 This also is a grievous illness. Exactly as he came, so he will go. What profit does he gain for all his toil for the wind? 17 Also, he eats in darkness all his days; he is frustrated in much sickness and resentment.

If You Have Wealth, Enjoy It as God Enables

18 Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and to enjoy[fn] all the fruit of the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him—for this is his lot.[fn] 19 This indeed is a gift of God: everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions, he also empowers him to enjoy them,[fn] to accept his lot, and to rejoice in the fruit of his toil. For he does not remember the brief days of his life, for God keeps his heart preoccupied with enjoyment of life.