rd

Ecclesiastes 5

1 Not to speak lightly, chiefly in God’s matters. 9 The covetous can never have enough. 11 The labourer’s sleep is sweet. 14 Man when he dyeth, taketh nothing with him. 18 To live joyfully, and with a contented mind is the gift of God.
1.Be not arash with thy mouth, nor let thine heart be hasty to utter a thing before God: for God is in the heavens, and thou art on the earth: therefore let thy words be bfew.
2.For as a dream cometh by the multitude of business: so the voice of a fool is in the multitude of words.
3.*When thou hast vowed a vow to God, defer not the pay it: for he deliteth not in fools, pay therefore that thou hast cvowed.
4.It is better that thou shuldest not vow, then that thou shuldest vow and not pay it.
5.Suffer not thy mouth to make thy dflesh to sin: neither say before the eAngel, that this is ignorance: wherefore shal God be angry by thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
6.For in the multitude of dreams, and vanities are also many words: but fear thou God.
7.If in a country thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the defrauding of judgement and justice, be not astonied at the matter: for he that is fhigher then the highest, regardeth, and there be higher then they.
8.And the gabundance of the earth is over all: the King halso consisteth by the field that is tilled.
9.He that loveth silver, shal not be satisfied with silver, & he that loveth riches, shalbe without the fruit thereof: this also is vanity.
10.When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good cometh to the owners thereof, but the beholding thereof with their eyes?
11.The sleep of him that travaileth, is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the Isatiety of the rich wil not suffer him to sleep.
12.There is an evil sickness that I have seen under the sun: to wit, riches kreserved to the owners thereof for their evil.
13.And these riches perish by evil travail, and he begetteth a son, and in his lhand is nothing.
14.*As he came forth of his mother’s belly, he shal return naked to go as he came, and shal bear away nothing of his labour, which he hath caused to pass by his hand.
15.And this also is an evil sickness that in all points as he came, so shal he go, and what profit hath he that he hath travailed for the mwind?
16.Also all his days he eateth in ndarkness with much grief, and in his sorrow and anger.
17.Behold then, what I have seen good, that it is comely to oeat, and to drink, and to take pleasure in all his labour, wherein he travaileth under the sun, the whole number of the days of his life, which God giveth him: for this is his portion.
18.Also to every man to whom God hath given riches and treasures, and giveth him power to eat thereof, and to take his part, and to enjoy his labour: this is the gift of God.
19.Surely he wil not much remember the days of his plife, because God answereth to the joy of his heart.

Notes

1-a.
Either in vowing or in praying meaning that we should use all rever- ence to God ward.
1-b.
He hears you not for your many word’s sake, or often repetitions, but considers your faith, and fervent mind.
3-*.
Deut. 23.21.
3-c.
He speaks of vows, which are approved by God’s word, and serve to his glory.
5-d.
Cause not yourself to sin by vowing rashly: as they do which make a vow to live unmarried, and such like.
5-e.
That is, before God’s messenger when he shall examine your doing: as though your ignorance should be a just excuse.
7-f.
Meaning, that God will redress these things, and therefore we must depend upon him.
8-g.
The revenues of the earth are to be preferred above all things, which appertain to this life.
8-h.
Kings and princes can not maintain their estate without tillage, which thing commends the excellency of tillage.
11-i.
That is, his great abundance of riches, or the surfeiting, which comes by his great feeding.
12-k.
When covetous men heap up riches, which turn to their destruction.
13-l.
He does not enjoy his father’s riches.
14-*.
Job 1.21, Wis. 7.6, 1 Tim. 6.7.
15-m.
Meaning, in vain, and without profit.
16-n.
In affliction, and great grief of mind.
17-o.
Read Ch. 3.22.
19-p.
He will take no great thought for the pains that he has endured in time past.