אַל־תְּבַהֵל עַל־פִּיךָ וְלִבְּךָ אַל־יְמַהֵר לְהוֹצִיא דָבָר לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְאַתָּה עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־כֵּן יִהְיוּ דְבָרֶיךָ מְעַטִּים

Do not be rash with the comments of your mouth, and also let your heart, your thoughts, not be hasty to express a word before God, as God is in the heavens and you are on earth, and consequently your knowledge is limited. Therefore, your words to God and about Him, and your statements in general, should be few.

כִּי בָּא הַחֲלוֹם בְּרֹב עִנְיָן וקוֹל כְּסִיל בְּרֹב דְּבָרִים

For a dream comes with a multitude of diverse concerns, and by the same token, a fool’s voice comes with a multitude of words. A fool can invariably be identified by incessant prattle, like the meaningless portions of a dream.

כַּאֲשֶׁר תִּדֹּר נֶדֶר לֵאלֹהִים אַל־תְּאַחֵר לְשַׁלְּמוֹ כִּי אֵין חֵפֶץ בַּכְּסִילִים אֵת אֲשֶׁר־תִּדֹּר שַׁלֵּם

When you take a vow to God, do not delay paying it. Rather, bring the pledged offering at the proper time, as He does not desire fools, who vow indiscriminately and impulsively but do not fulfill their commitments. That which you vow, pay.

טוֹב אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תִדֹּר מִשֶּׁתִּדּוֹר וְלֹא תְשַׁלֵּם

In fact, it is better that you not vow at all than that you vow and not pay.

אַל־תִּתֵּן אֶת־פִּיךָ לחֲטִיא אֶת־בְּשָׂרֶךָ וְאַל־תֹּאמַר לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ כִּי שְׁגָגָה הִיא לָמָּה יִקְצֹף הָאֱלֹהִים עַל־קוֹלֶךָ וְחִבֵּל אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ

Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to let yourself sin. Imprecise and inappropriate statements can corrupt and endanger you. And do not say before the messenger who is responsible for collecting the money you vowed that it was a mistake. Why should God become angry at your voice and destroy your handiwork?

כִּי בְרֹב חֲלֹמוֹת וַהֲבָלִים וּדְבָרִים הַרְבֵּה כִּי אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא

So it is with a multitude of dreams, futilities, and many words. Alternatively, it is because of the multitude of dreams and vanities and many words that troubles befall a person. Rather, fear God. One who fails to honor his word and commitments is likely to harm himself. In addition, it constitutes impertinence toward God.

אִם־עֹשֶׁק רָשׁ וְגֵזֶל מִשְׁפָּט וָצֶדֶק תִּרְאֶה בַמְּדִינָה אַל־תִּתְמַהּ עַל־הַחֵפֶץ כִּי גָבֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבֹהַּ שֹׁמֵר וּגְבֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם

If you see exploitation of the poor, subversion of judgment and justice in the country, do not wonder at the purpose, for higher than high is watching, and there are high ones who are over them, the events that you observe. The world contains many layers built upon other layers. You do not necessarily understand the reasons behind events, and they make you uneasy because you have a low vantage point and your perspective is limited. You are incapable of seeing the bigger picture.

וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הוּא מֶלֶךְ לְשָׂדֶה נֶעֱבָד

The advantage of land is in every way. Land is superior to all other property, as even a king is subservient to a field. The field is the source of life, and everyone is dependent on its cultivation.

אֹהֵב כֶּסֶף לֹא־יִשְׂבַּע כֶּסֶף וּמִי־אֹהֵב בֶּהָמוֹן לֹא תְבוּאָה גַּם־זֶה הָבֶל

A lover of silver will never be satisfied with silver. One who desires money will never be satiated. And he who loves abundance of possessions has no produce. Alternatively, one who loves an abundance of possessions will not receive grain or sustenance from them; this hoarding of excessive possessions too is futility.

בִּרְבוֹת הַטּוֹבָה רַבּוּ אוֹכְלֶיהָ וּמַה־כִּשְׁרוֹן לִבְעָלֶיהָ כִּי אִם־רְאוּת עֵינָיו

With the increase of goodness, when plenty of food is brought home, its consumers increase, more people come to eat it; and what use is it to its owner, what does he gain from this abundance, other than the sight of his wealth before his eyes? He himself does not benefit from it in any other way. Alternatively, all he beholds with his eyes are others consuming his food.

מְתוּקָה שְׁנַת הָעֹבֵד אִם־מְעַט וְאִם־הַרְבֵּה יֹאכֵל וְהַשָּׂבָע לֶעָשִׁיר אֵינֶנּוּ מַנִּיחַ לוֹ לִישׁוֹן

Sweet is the sleep of the worker, whether he eats little or much beforehand. But the satiation of the wealthy does not allow him to sleep, as he does not work hard enough to grow tired. Furthermore, due to his preoccupation with his concerns over his possessions, he cannot enjoy his abundance.

יֵשׁ רָעָה חוֹלָה רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ עֹשֶׁר שָׁמוּר לִבְעָלָיו לְרָעָתוֹ

There is a grave evil, or malady, that I have seen under the sun: Wealth kept for its owner. He does not enjoy his wealth at all, as he always anticipates greater profit. That wealth is to his detriment,

וְאָבַד הָעֹשֶׁר הַהוּא בְּעִנְיַן רָע וְהוֹלִיד בֵּן וְאֵין בְּיָדוֹ מְאוּמָה

because when that wealth is lost in an ill-fated concern, an unsuccessful business transaction, then he, that individual, begets a son, and there is nothing left in his, the son’s, hand.

כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִבֶּטֶן אִמּוֹ עָרוֹם יָשׁוּב לָלֶכֶת כְּשֶׁבָּא וּמְאוּמָה לֹא־יִשָּׂא בַעֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיֹּלֵךְ בְּיָדוֹ

As he emerged from his mother’s womb, with nothing, so he will return naked, to go as he came into the world, and he will take nothing for his toil that he can carry in his hand.

וְגַם־זֹה רָעָה חוֹלָה כָּל־עֻמַּת שֶׁבָּא כֵּן יֵלֵךְ וּמַה־יִּתְרוֹן לוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל לָרוּחַ

This too is a grave evil; just as he came to the world, so will he go; and what is the advantage for he who toils for the wind, for naught?

גַּם כָּל־יָמָיו בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יֹאכֵל וְכָעַס הַרְבֵּה וְחָלְיוֹ וָקָצֶף

Indeed, not only does he derive no benefit from his wealth, but while preoccupied with his business he suffers, as all his days he eats in darkness, in the twilight hours, not during the day, as he must work all day, and not at night either, as he needs his sleep. Alternatively, the verse means that he eats in sorrow. And he has much anger throughout his life, illness, and wrath.

הִנֵּה אֲשֶׁר־רָאִיתִי אָנִי טוֹב אֲשֶׁר־יָפֶה לֶאֱכוֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִרְאוֹת טוֹבָה בְּכָל־עֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל תַּחַת־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מִסְפַּר יְמֵי־חַיָּו אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן־לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי־הוּא חֶלְקוֹ

Instead of dreaming of wealth, saving for an uncertain future and risking the loss of all one’s money, behold the good that I have seen: That it is fine to eat, and to drink, and to see benefit in all his toil that he toils under the sun, throughout the number of days of his life that God has given him, rather than devising plans that are liable not to materialize, as that is his portion.

גַּם כָּל־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן־לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׁר וּנְכָסִים וְהִשְׁלִיטוֹ לֶאֱכֹל מִמֶּנּוּ וְלָשֵׂאת אֶת־חֶלְקוֹ וְלִשְׂמֹחַ בַּעֲמָלוֹ זֹה מַתַּת אֱלֹהִים הִיא

Also any man to whom God has given wealth and property, and to whom He has given control to eat from it, and to bear, enjoy, his portion, and to rejoice in his toil, that, the possibility that one will actually enjoy his wealth, is the gift of God.

כִּי לֹא הַרְבֵּה יִזְכֹּר אֶת יְמֵי חַיָּיו כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים מַעֲנֶה בְּשִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ

Because he will not remember much of the days of his life; rather, it is God who is the solution and who provides him with his needs, and He will grace a person with the joy of his heart. Therefore, it is preferable to enjoy one’s state of serenity rather than get caught up in baseless plans for the future.