1[1] Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. (Ge 28:17; Ex 3:5; 1Sa 15:22; Pr 15:8; Isa 1:12)2[2] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (Mt 6:7)3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. (Job 11:2; Pr 10:19)4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. (Nu 30:2; De 23:21; Ps 50:14; Ps 66:13; Ps 76:11)5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. (Pr 20:25; Ac 5:4)6Let not your mouth lead you[3] into sin, and do not say before the messenger[4] that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? (Nu 15:25; Ec 10:5; 1Co 11:10)7For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;[5] but[6] God is the one you must fear. (Ec 12:13)
The Vanity of Wealth and Honor
8If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. (Ps 12:5; Ps 58:11; Ps 82:1; Ec 3:16; Ec 4:1; 1Pe 4:12)9But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.[7]10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?12Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, (Ec 6:1)14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.15As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. (Job 1:21)16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? (Pr 11:29; Ec 1:3)17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. (Ps 127:2)18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment[8] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. (Ec 2:10; Ec 2:24)19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. (2Ch 1:11; Ec 2:24; Ec 3:13; Ec 6:2)20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
1[1] Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.2Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.3A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfil it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfil your vow.5It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfil it.6Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, ‘My vow was a mistake.’ Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?7Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.
Riches are meaningless
8If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.9The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them?12The sleep of a labourer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.13I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,14or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.15Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.16This too is a grievous evil: as everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?17All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.18This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labour under the sun during the few days of life God has given them – for this is their lot.19Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil – this is a gift of God.20They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
1Be careful what you say when you go to God’s house. Go there to listen. Don’t be like foolish people when you offer your sacrifice. They do what is wrong and don’t even know it.2Don’t be too quick to speak. Don’t be in a hurry to say anything to God. God is in heaven. You are on earth. So use only a few words when you speak.3Many worries result in dreams. Many words result in foolish talk.4When you make a promise to God, don’t wait too long to carry it out. He isn’t pleased with foolish people. So do what you have promised.5It is not good to make a promise and not keep it. It is better to make no promise at all.6Don’t let your mouth cause you to sin. Don’t say to the temple messenger, ‘My promise was a mistake.’ Why should God be angry with what you say? Why should he destroy what you have done?7Dreaming too much and talking too much are meaningless. So have respect for God.
Riches are meaningless
8Suppose you see poor people being ill-treated somewhere. And what is being done to them isn’t right or fair. Don’t be surprised by that. One official is watched by a higher one. Officials who are even higher are watching both of them.9All of them take what the land produces. And the king himself takes his share from the fields.10Anyone who loves money never has enough. Anyone who loves wealth is never satisfied with what they get. That doesn’t have any meaning either.11As more and more goods are made, more and more people use them up. So how can those goods benefit their owners? All they can do is look at them with desire.12The sleep of a worker is sweet. It doesn’t matter whether they eat a little or a lot. But the wealth of rich people keeps them awake at night.13I’ve seen something very evil on earth. It’s when wealth is stored up and then brings harm to its owners.14It’s also when wealth is lost because of an unwise business deal. Then there won’t be anything left for the owners’ children.15Everyone is born naked. They come into the world with nothing. And they go out of it with nothing. They don’t get anything from their work that they can take with them.16Here’s something else that is very evil. Everyone is born, and everyone dies. And what do they get for their work? Nothing. It’s like working for the wind.17All their lives they eat in darkness. Their lives are full of trouble, suffering and anger.18I have seen what is good. It is good for a person to eat and drink. It’s good for them to be satisfied with their hard work on this earth. That’s what they should do during the short life God has given them. That’s what God made them for.19Sometimes God gives a person wealth and possessions. God makes it possible for that person to enjoy them. God helps them accept the life he has given them. God helps them to be happy in their work. All these things are gifts from God.20A person like that doesn’t have to think about how their life is going. That’s because God fills their heart with joy.
Ecclesiastes 5
King James Version
1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool' voice is known by multitude of words.4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?12The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely , riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.14But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.15As he came forth of his mother' womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.18Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.19Every 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.20For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Ecclesiastes 5
Einheitsübersetzung 2016
from Katholisches Bibelwerk1Sei nicht zu schnell mit dem Mund, ja selbst innerlich fiebere nicht, vor Gott das Wort zu ergreifen! Gott ist im Himmel, du bist auf der Erde, also mach wenig Worte!2Im Traum schließt man viele Geschäfte ab, der Ungebildete macht viele Worte. (Pr 10:19; Ec 10:14)
Gelübde
3Wenn du Gott ein Gelübde machst, / dann zögere nicht, es zu erfüllen!
Die Ungebildeten gefallen Gott nicht: / Was du gelobst, erfülle! (Nu 30:3; De 23:22; Pr 20:25; Mt 5:37; Sir 18:22)4Es ist besser, wenn du nichts gelobst, / als wenn du etwas gelobst und nicht erfüllst.5Lass nicht zu, dass dein Mund / dein Fleisch in Sünde stürzt!
Erkläre nie vor dem Boten: / Es war ein Versehen!
Warum soll Gott zürnen über das, was du redest, / und vernichten, was deine Hände tun? (Le 4:1; Nu 15:22; Nu 35:9; Ps 51:1; Ps 141:3; Pr 28:13; Isa 1:10; Jas 3:6)6Vielmehr, wo Träume sich mehren und Windhauch und viele Worte, / da fürchte du Gott!
ÜBER ARMUT UND REICHTUM
Beamtenherrschaft
7Wenn du beobachtest, dass in der Provinz die Armen ausgebeutet und Gericht und Gerechtigkeit nicht gewährt werden, dann wundere dich nicht über solche Vorgänge:
Ein Mächtiger deckt den andern, / hinter beiden stehen noch Mächtigere (Ex 23:6; Pr 1:3; Ec 3:16; Ec 4:1; Ho 2:21; Am 5:24)8und es ist auf jeden Fall ein Vorteil für das Land, wenn das bebaute Feld einem König untersteht.[1]
Nutzlosigkeit des Reichtums
9Wer das Geld liebt, / bekommt vom Geld nie genug;
wer den Luxus liebt, / hat nie genug Einnahmen - auch das ist Windhauch. (Ec 1:8; Ec 4:8; Mt 6:19)10Mehrt sich das Vermögen, / so mehren sich auch die, die es verzehren.
Was für ein Erfolg bleibt dem Besitzer? / Seine Augen dürfen zusehen. (Pr 14:20; Pr 19:4; Sir 22:23)11Süß ist der Schlaf des Arbeiters, / ob er wenig oder viel zu essen hat.
Dem Reichen raubt sein voller Bauch / die Ruhe des Schlafs. (Sir 31:1; Sir 31:19)
Verlust des Reichtums
12Es gibt etwas Schlimmes, etwas wie eine Krankheit, das ich unter der Sonne beobachtet habe: wenn Reichtum, der für seinen Besitzer ängstlich gehütet wurde, diesem Schlimmes brachte. (Ec 2:17)13Durch ein schlechtes Geschäft ging ihm dieser Reichtum verloren. Er hatte einen Sohn gezeugt, aber jetzt hat er nichts mehr, das ihm gehört. (Pr 23:4; Pr 27:24; Ec 11:2; Lu 16:9; Lu 19:11)14Wie er aus dem Leib seiner Mutter herausgekommen ist - nackt, wie er kam, muss er wieder gehen. Von seinem Besitz darf er überhaupt nichts forttragen, nichts, das er als ihm gehörig mitnehmen könnte. (Job 1:21; Ps 49:17; Ps 49:18; 1Ti 6:7)15So ist auch dies etwas Schlimmes, etwas wie eine Krankheit. Genau wie er kam, muss er gehen. Welchen Vorteil bringt es ihm, dass er sich anstrengt für den Wind?16Auch wird er während seines ganzen restlichen Lebens sein Essen im Dunkeln einnehmen; er wird sich häufig ärgern und Krankheit und Unmut werden ihn plagen. (Ec 2:23)
Unverwerteter Reichtum
17Dies ist etwas, was ich eingesehen habe: Das vollkommene Glück besteht darin, dass jemand isst und trinkt und das Glück kennenlernt durch seinen eigenen Besitz, für den er sich unter der Sonne anstrengt während der wenigen Tage seines Lebens, die Gott ihm geschenkt hat. Denn das ist sein Anteil. (Ec 2:10)18Außerdem: Immer wenn Gott einem Menschen Reichtum und Wohlstand geschenkt und ihn ermächtigt hat, davon zu essen und seinen Anteil fortzutragen und durch seinen Besitz Freude zu gewinnen, besteht das eigentliche Geschenk Gottes darin, (Ec 3:13)19dass dieser Mensch sich nicht so oft daran erinnern muss, wie wenige Tage sein Leben zählt, weil Gott ihm Antwort gibt in der Freude seines Herzens.[2]