Ecclesiastes 5

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

1 اِحْفَظْ قَدَمَكَ حِينَ تَذْهَبُ إِلَى بَيْتِ ٱللهِ، فَٱلِٱسْتِمَاعُ أَقْرَبُ مِنْ تَقْدِيمِ ذَبِيحَةِ ٱلْجُهَّالِ، لِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُبَالُونَ بِفَعْلِ ٱلشَّرِّ.

2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.

2 لَا تَسْتَعْجِلْ فَمَكَ وَلَا يُسْرِعْ قَلْبُكَ إِلَى نُطْقِ كَلَامٍ قُدَّامَ ٱللهِ، لِأَنَّ ٱللهَ فِي ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ، فَلِذَلِكَ لِتَكُنْ كَلِمَاتُكَ قَلِيلَةً.

3 As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.

3 لِأَنَّ ٱلْحُلْمَ يَأْتِي مِنْ كَثْرَةِ ٱلشُّغْلِ، وَقَوْلَ ٱلْجَهْلِ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ ٱلْكَلَامِ.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

4 إِذَا نَذَرْتَ نَذْرًا لِلهِ فَلَا تَتَأَخَّرْ عَنِ ٱلْوَفَاءِ بِهِ، لِأَنَّهُ لَا يُسَرُّ بِٱلْجُهَّالِ. فَأَوْفِ بِمَا نَذَرْتَهُ.

5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

5 أَنْ لَا تَنْذُرُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَنْذُرَ وَلَا تَفِيَ.

6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

6 لَا تَدَعْ فَمَكَ يَجْعَلُ جَسَدَكَ يُخْطِئُ، وَلَا تَقُلْ قُدَّامَ ٱلْمَلَاكِ: «إِنَّهُ سَهْوٌ». لِمَاذَا يَغْضَبُ ٱللهُ عَلَى قَوْلِكَ، وَيُفْسِدُ عَمَلَ يَدَيْكَ؟

7 For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.

7 لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ ٱلْأَحْلَامِ وَٱلْأَبَاطِيلِ وَكَثْرَةِ ٱلْكَلَامِ. وَلَكِنِ ٱخْشَ ٱللهَ.

8 If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.

8 إِنْ رَأَيْتَ ظُلْمَ ٱلْفَقِيرِ وَنَزْعَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَٱلْعَدْلِ فِي ٱلْبِلَادِ، فَلَا تَرْتَعْ مِنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ، لِأَنَّ فَوْقَ ٱلْعَالِي عَالِيًا يُلَاحِظُ، وَٱلْأَعْلَى فَوْقَهُمَا.

9 The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

9 وَمَنْفَعَةُ ٱلْأَرْضِ لِلْكُلِّ. ٱلْمَلِكُ مَخْدُومٌ مِنَ ٱلْحَقْلِ.

10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

10 مَنْ يُحِبُّ ٱلْفِضَّةَ لَا يَشْبَعُ مِنَ ٱلْفِضَّةِ، وَمَنْ يُحِبُّ ٱلثَّرْوَةَ لَا يَشْبَعُ مِنْ دَخْلٍ. هَذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ.

11 When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?

11 إِذَا كَثُرَتِ ٱلْخَيْرَاتُ كَثُرَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَهَا، وَأَيُّ مَنْفَعَةٍ لِصَاحِبِهَا إِلَّا رُؤْيَتَهَا بِعَيْنَيْهِ؟

12 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

12 نَوْمُ ٱلْمُشْتَغِلِ حُلْوٌ، إِنْ أَكَلَ قَلِيلًا أَوْ كَثِيرًا، وَوَفْرُ ٱلْغَنِيِّ لَا يُرِيحُهُ حَتَّى يَنَامَ.

13 There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,

13 يُوجَدُ شَرٌّ خَبِيثٌ رَأَيْتُهُ تَحْتَ ٱلشَّمْسِ: ثَرْوَةٌ مَصُونَةٌ لِصَاحِبِهَا لِضَرَرِهِ.

14 or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

14 فَهَلَكَتْ تِلْكَ ٱلثَّرْوَةُ بِأَمْرٍ سَيِّئٍ، ثُمَّ وَلَدَ ٱبْنًا وَمَا بِيَدِهِ شَيْءٌ.

15 As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.

15 كَمَا خَرَجَ مِنْ بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ عُرْيَانًا يَرْجِعُ ذَاهِبًا كَمَا جَاءَ، وَلَا يَأْخُذُ شَيْئًا مِنْ تَعَبِهِ فَيَذْهَبُ بِهِ فِي يَدِهِ.

16 This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?

16 وَهَذَا أَيْضًا مَصِيبَةٌ رَدِيئَةٌ، فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ كَمَا جَاءَ هَكَذَا يَذْهَبُ، فَأَيَّةُ مَنْفَعَةٍ لَهُ، لِلَّذِي تَعِبَ لِلرِّيحِ؟

17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

17 أَيْضًا يَأْكُلُ كُلَّ أَيَّامِهِ فِي ٱلظَّلَامِ، وَيَغْتَمُّ كَثِيرًا مَعَ حُزْنٍ وَغَيْظٍ.

18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.

18 هُوَذَا ٱلَّذِي رَأَيْتُهُ أَنَا خَيْرًا، ٱلَّذِي هُوَ حَسَنٌ: أَنْ يَأْكُلَ ٱلْإِنْسَانُ وَيَشْرَبَ وَيَرَى خَيْرًا مِنْ كُلِّ تَعَبِهِ ٱلَّذِي يَتْعَبُ فِيهِ تَحْتَ ٱلشَّمْسِ مُدَّةَ أَيَّامِ حَيَاتِهِ ٱلَّتِي أَعْطَاهُ ٱللهُ إِيَّاهَا، لِأَنَّهُ نَصِيبُهُ.

19 Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.

19 أَيْضًا كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ أَعْطَاهُ ٱللهُ غِنًى وَمَالًا وَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَأْكُلَ مِنْهُ، وَيَأْخُذَ نَصِيبَهُ، وَيَفْرَحَ بِتَعَبِهِ، فَهَذَا هُوَ عَطِيَّةُ ٱللهِ.

20 For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

20 لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَذْكُرُ أَيَّامَ حَيَاتِهِ كَثِيرًا، لِأَنَّ ٱللهَ مُلْهِيهِ بِفَرَحِ قَلْبِهِ.