Ecclesiastes 5:2

Fear God, Keep Your Vows

1 Walk ^aprudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather ^bthan to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

2 Do not be ^arash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words ^bbe few.

3 For a dream comes through much activity,
And ^aa fool’s voice is known by his many words.

4 ^aWhen you make a vow to God, do not delay to ^bpay it;
For He has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed—

5 ^aBetter not to vow than to vow and not pay.

6 Do not let your ^amouth cause your flesh to sin, ^bnor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your¹ excuse and destroy the work of your hands?

7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But ^afear God.

The Vanity of Gain and Honor

8 If you ^asee the oppression of the poor, and the violent¹ perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for ^bhigh official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

Verse Comparison: Ecclesiastes 5:2

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Ecclesiastes 5:3 >>

American Standard Version
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Amplified® Bible
Be not rash with your mouth, and let not 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.

Contemporary English Version
Don't talk before you think or make promises to God without thinking them through. God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so don't talk too much.

Darby English Version
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in the heavens, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.

Good News Bible
Think before you speak, and don't make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don't say any more than you have to.

King James Version
Be 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.

New American Standard Bible
Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

New International Version
Do 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.

New King James Version
Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Do not show haste in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God For God dwells in heaven and you live on the earth; therefore let your words remain few.

Revised Standard Version
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 upon earth; therefore let your words be few.

Young's Literal Translation
Cause not thy mouth to hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou on the earth, therefore let thy words be few.

New English Translation
Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.

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