Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 5:2–6

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.

4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. 5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

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

Footnotes

  • a 5:6 Or angel

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 5:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be quickתְּבַהֵ֨לtə·ḇa·hêlVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH926 alarm, dismay
toעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
speakפִּ֜יךָpî·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6310 mouth
and do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be hastyיְמַהֵ֛רyə·ma·hêrVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH4116 hasten
in your heartוְלִבְּךָ֧wə·lib·bə·ḵāConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
to utterלְהוֹצִ֥יאlə·hō·w·ṣîPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH3318 go or come out
a wordדָבָ֖רḏā·ḇārNoun - masculine singularH1697 speech, word
beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêPreposition-l; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
Forכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Godהָאֱלֹהִ֤יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
is in heavenבַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙baš·šā·ma·yimPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH8064 sky, aloft
and youוְאַתָּ֣הwə·’at·tāhConjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
are onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
earthהָאָ֔רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
Soעַֽל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
let your wordsדְבָרֶ֖יךָḏə·ḇā·re·ḵāNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH1697 speech, word
beיִהְי֥וּyih·yūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
fewמְעַטִּֽים׃mə·‘aṭ·ṭîmAdjective - masculine pluralH4592 a little, fewness, a few

Ecclesiastes 5:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Asכִּ֛יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
a dreamהַחֲל֖וֹםha·ḥă·lō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2472 dream
comesבָּ֥אbāVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
through manyבְּרֹ֣בbə·rōḇPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
caresעִנְיָ֑ן‘in·yānNoun - masculine singularH6045 occupation, task
so the speechוְק֥וֹלwə·qō·wlConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH6963 sound, voice
of a foolכְּסִ֖ילkə·sîlNoun - masculine singularH3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
with manyבְּרֹ֥בbə·rōḇPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
wordsדְּבָרִֽים׃də·ḇā·rîmNoun - masculine pluralH1697 speech, word

Ecclesiastes 5:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whenכַּאֲשֶׁר֩ka·’ă·šerPreposition-k; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
you makeתִּדֹּ֨רtid·dōrVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5087 vow
a vowנֶ֜דֶרne·ḏerNoun - masculine singularH5088 vow
to Godלֵֽאלֹהִ֗יםlê·lō·hîmPreposition-l; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
delayתְּאַחֵר֙tə·’a·ḥêrVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH309 to remain behind, delay, tarry
in fulfilling itלְשַׁלְּמ֔וֹlə·šal·lə·mōwPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singularH7999 be complete, sound
becauseכִּ֛יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
He takes noאֵ֥ין’ênAdverbH369 nothing, nought
pleasureחֵ֖פֶץḥê·p̄eṣNoun - masculine singularH2656 delight, pleasure
in foolsבַּכְּסִילִ֑יםbak·kə·sî·lîmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
Fulfillשַׁלֵּֽם׃šal·lêmVerb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singularH7999 be complete, sound
your vowתִּדֹּ֖רtid·dōrVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5087 vow

Ecclesiastes 5:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
It is betterט֖וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
notלֹֽא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
to vowתִדֹּ֑רṯid·dōrVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5087 vow
than to make a vowמִשֶׁתִּדּ֖וֹרmi·šɛt·tid·dōrPreposition-m, Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5087 vow
and notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
fulfill itתְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ṯə·šal·lêmVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH7999 be complete, sound

Ecclesiastes 5:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
letתִּתֵּ֤ןtit·tênVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
your mouthפִּ֙יךָ֙pî·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6310 mouth
your fleshבְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָbə·śā·re·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1320 flesh
to sinלַחֲטִ֣יאla·ḥă·ṭîPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH2398 miss
and do notוְאַל־wə·’al-Conjunctive waw; AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
tellתֹּאמַר֙tō·marVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH559 utter, say
the messengerהַמַּלְאָ֔ךְham·mal·’āḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4397 messenger
thatכִּ֥יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
was a mistakeשְׁגָגָ֖הšə·ḡā·ḡāhNoun - feminine singularH7684 sin of error, inadvertence
Whyלָ֣מָּהlām·māhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
should Godהָֽאֱלֹהִים֙hā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
be angryיִקְצֹ֤ףyiq·ṣōp̄Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7107 be wroth
withעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
your wordsקוֹלֶ֔ךָqō·w·le·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6963 sound, voice
and destroyוְחִבֵּ֖לwə·ḥib·bêlConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH2254 bind, pledge
the workמַעֲשֵׂ֥הma·‘ă·śêhNoun - masculine singular constructH4639 deed, work
of your handsיָדֶֽיךָ׃yā·ḏe·ḵāNoun - feminine dual construct; second person masculine singularH3027 hand

Cross-references

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

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

Ecclesiastes 5:4 Numbers 30:2 · Deuteronomy 23:21–23 · Psalm 76:11 · Matthew 5:33 · Psalm 66:13–14 · Psalm 50:14 · Psalm 119:106 · Psalm 116:14 · Hebrews 10:6 · Malachi 1:10 · Psalm 147:10–11

Ecclesiastes 5:5 Acts 5:4 · Deuteronomy 23:22 · Proverbs 20:25

Ecclesiastes 5:6 James 1:26 · 2 John 1:8 · James 3:2 · Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 · Malachi 2:7 · Leviticus 5:4–6 · Genesis 48:16

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.