American Standard Version

Ecclesiastes 5:4-14 American Standard Version (ASV)

4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

5. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

7. For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.

8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

9. Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

11. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes?

12. The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:

14. and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.