1Do not be hasty with your mouth, and let not your heart hasten to bring forth a word before God; for God is in the heavens, and you are upon the earth; therefore let your words be few.
2For the dream comes through abundance of task, and the voice of a fool through abundance of words.
3When you vow a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for there is no pleasure in fools; that which you vow, pay.
4Better that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not pay.
5Do not let your mouth bring your flesh (basar) into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was an error; why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
6For in abundance of dreams and vanities and many words; but fear God.
7If you see oppression of the poor, and violent taking of judgment (mishpat) and righteousness in the province, do not marvel at the matter; for one high above the high watches, and there are higher ones over them.
8And the profit of a land in everything is this: a king for a field that is worked (avad).
9He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, and whoever loves abundance, with no increase; this also is vanity.
10When the good increases, those who eat it increase; and what advantage is there to its owners except the seeing of his eyes?
11Sweet is the sleep of the one who works (avad), whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich does not allow him to sleep.
12There is a sickening evil I have seen under the sun: riches kept by its owner to his hurt;
13And those riches perish in an evil matter; and he begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
14As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked he shall return to go as he came, and nothing shall he take of his labor that he may carry in his hand.
15And this also is a sickening evil: exactly as he came, so he shall go; and what profit has he that he labors for the spirit (ruach)?
16Also all his days he eats in darkness, with much vexation and his sickness and wrath.
17Behold what I myself have seen: it is good, fitting, to eat and to drink and to see good in all his labor that he labors under the sun the number of the days of his life (chai) which God has given him; for that is his portion.
18Also every man (adam) to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
19For he shall not much remember the days of his life (chai); for God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.