Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 5:1–3

¹Guard 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. ²Do 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.

³As a dream comes through many cares,

so the speech of a fool comes with many words.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 5:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Guard	שְׁמֹ֣ר	šə·mōr	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
your steps	רַגְלֶיךָ	raḡ·lɛ·ḵå̄	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H7272 foot
when	כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
you go	תֵּלֵךְ֙	tê·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the house	בֵּ֣ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of God	הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
Draw near	וְקָר֣וֹב	wə·qā·rō·wḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H7126 come near, approach
to listen	לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ	liš·mō·a‘	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8085 hear
rather than to offer	מִתֵּ֥ת	mit·têṯ	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5414 give, put, set
the sacrifice	זָ֑בַח	zā·ḇaḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H2077 sacrifice
of fools	הַכְּסִילִ֖ים	hak·kə·sî·lîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
who	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
do not	אֵינָ֥ם	’ê·nām	Adverb; third person masculine plural	H369 nothing, nought
know that	יוֹדְעִ֖ים	yō·wḏ·‘îm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3045 know
they do	לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
wrong	רָֽע׃	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil

Ecclesiastes 5:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be quick	תְּבַהֵ֨ל	tə·ḇa·hêl	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H926 alarm, dismay
to	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
speak	פִּ֜יךָ	pî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
and do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be hasty	יְמַהֵ֛ר	yə·ma·hêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4116 hasten
in your heart	וְלִבְּךָ֧	wə·lib·bə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
to utter	לְהוֹצִ֥יא	lə·hō·w·ṣî	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H3318 go or come out
a word	דָבָ֖ר	ḏā·ḇār	Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
before	לִפְנֵ֣י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
For	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
is in heaven	בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙	baš·šā·ma·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
and you	וְאַתָּ֣ה	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
earth	הָאָ֔רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
So	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
let your words	דְבָרֶ֖יךָ	ḏə·ḇā·re·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
be	יִהְי֥וּ	yih·yū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
few	מְעַטִּֽים׃	mə·‘aṭ·ṭîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H4592 a little, fewness, a few

Ecclesiastes 5:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a dream	הַחֲל֖וֹם	ha·ḥă·lō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2472 dream
comes	בָּ֥א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
through many	בְּרֹ֣ב	bə·rōḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
cares	עִנְיָ֑ן	‘in·yān	Noun - masculine singular	H6045 occupation, task
so the speech	וְק֥וֹל	wə·qō·wl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
of a fool	כְּסִ֖יל	kə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
with many	בְּרֹ֥ב	bə·rōḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
words	דְּבָרִֽים׃	də·ḇā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 James 1:19 · Hebrews 12:28–29 · Proverbs 15:8 · 1 Peter 2:1–2 · Isaiah 1:12–20 · Proverbs 21:27 · Joshua 5:15 · Exodus 3:5 · Psalm 89:7 · Isaiah 66:3 · 1 Corinthians 11:22 · Psalm 50:8–18

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Matthew 6:7 · Proverbs 10:19 · Isaiah 55:9 · Matthew 6:9 · Numbers 30:2–5 · Ecclesiastes 5:7 · Ecclesiastes 5:3 · Genesis 18:27 · Genesis 28:20 · Proverbs 20:25 · James 3:2 · Psalm 115:3

Ecclesiastes 5:3 Proverbs 15:2 · Ecclesiastes 10:12–14 · Proverbs 10:19 · Job 11:2

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.