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Your Attitude toward God

^1 (F1)(C1)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the ^(C2)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil.^2 (F1)Do not be ^(C1)quick with your mouth or ^(F2)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 ^(C2)words be few.³ For the dream comes through much ^(F1)effort, and the voice of a ^(C1)fool through many words.

⁴ When you ^(C1)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. ^(C2)Pay what you vow!⁵ It is ^(C1)better that you not vow, than vow and not pay.⁶ Do not let your ^(F1)speech cause ^(F2)you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a ^(C1)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?⁷ For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, ^(F1)(C1)fear God.

⁸ If you see ^(C1)oppression of the poor and ^(C2)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be ^(C3)shocked at the ^(F1)sight; for one ^(F2)official watches over another ^(F2)official, and there are higher ^(F3)officials over them.⁹ After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.

The Foolishness of Riches

^10 (C1)One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility.^11 (C1)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to ^(F1)look at them?¹² The sleep of the laborer is ^(C1)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the ^(F1)full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.

¹³ There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: ^(C1)wealth being ^(F1)hoarded by its owner to his detriment.¹⁴ When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing ^(F1)to support him.^15 (C1)As he came naked from his mother's womb, so he will return as he came. He will ^(C2)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.¹⁶ This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person ^(F1)is born, so will he ^(F2)die. ^(C1)What then is the advantage for him who ^(C2)labors for the wind?¹⁷ All his life ^(C1)he also eats in darkness with ^(C2)great irritation, sickness, and anger.

¹⁸ Here is what I have seen to be ^(C1)good and ^(F1)fitting: to eat, to drink, and ^(F2)enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he labors under the sun during the few ^(F3)years of his life which God has given him; for this is his ^(F4)(C2)reward.¹⁹ Furthermore, as for every person to whom ^(C1)God has given riches and wealth, He has also ^(C2)given him the opportunity to ^(F1)enjoy them and to receive his ^(F2)reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the ^(C3)gift of God.²⁰ For he will not often call to mind the ^(F1)years of his life, because ^(C1)God keeps ^(F2)him busy with the joy of his heart.