Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 5:4–6

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 messenger^a 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 5:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כַּאֲשֶׁר֩	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
you make	תִּדֹּ֨ר	tid·dōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5087 vow
a vow	נֶ֜דֶר	ne·ḏer	Noun - masculine singular	H5088 vow
to God	לֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים	lê·lō·hîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
delay	תְּאַחֵר֙	tə·’a·ḥêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H309 to remain behind, delay, tarry
in fulfilling it	לְשַׁלְּמ֔וֹ	lə·šal·lə·mōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H7999 be complete, sound
because	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
He takes no	אֵ֥ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
pleasure	חֵ֖פֶץ	ḥê·p̄eṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H2656 delight, pleasure
in fools	בַּכְּסִילִ֑ים	bak·kə·sî·lîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
Fulfill	שַׁלֵּֽם׃	šal·lêm	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H7999 be complete, sound
your vow	תִּדֹּ֖ר	tid·dōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5087 vow

Ecclesiastes 5:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It is better	ט֖וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to vow	תִדֹּ֑ר	ṯid·dōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5087 vow
than to make a vow	מִשֶׁתִּדּ֖וֹר	mi·šɛt·tid·dōr	Preposition-m, Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5087 vow
and not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
fulfill it	תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃	ṯə·šal·lêm	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7999 be complete, sound

Ecclesiastes 5:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
let	תִּתֵּ֤ן	tit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
your mouth	פִּ֙יךָ֙	pî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
your flesh	בְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָ	bə·śā·re·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1320 flesh
to sin	לַחֲטִ֣יא	la·ḥă·ṭî	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H2398 miss
and do not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
tell	תֹּאמַר֙	tō·mar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
the messenger	הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ	ham·mal·’āḵ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4397 messenger
that	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
was a mistake	שְׁגָגָ֖ה	šə·ḡā·ḡāh	Noun - feminine singular	H7684 sin of error, inadvertence
Why	לָ֣מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
should God	הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
be angry	יִקְצֹ֤ף	yiq·ṣōp̄	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7107 be wroth
with	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
your words	קוֹלֶ֔ךָ	qō·w·le·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
and destroy	וְחִבֵּ֖ל	wə·ḥib·bêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2254 bind, pledge
the work	מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה	ma·‘ă·śêh	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4639 deed, work
of your hands	יָדֶֽיךָ׃	yā·ḏe·ḵā	Noun - feminine dual construct; second person masculine singular	H3027 hand

Cross-references

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

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.