Ecclesiastes 5
Lutheran reading notes
In Ecclesiastes chapter 5, the wisdom literature continues to explore the meaning of life and reverence for God amid life's vanity. Lutheran interpretation often emphasizes humanity’s limitations and the need to rely on God's grace and promises. The chapter highlights the contrast between human striving and the faithfulness of God.
1
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
Ecclesiastes 5:1 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter {any} thing before God: for God {is} in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. {thing: or, word}
Ecclesiastes 5:2 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice {is known} by multitude of words.
Ecclesiastes 5:3 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for {he hath} no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
Better {is it} that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it {was} an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
Ecclesiastes 5:6 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
For in the multitude of dreams and many words {there are} also {divers} vanities: but fear thou God.
Ecclesiastes 5:7 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for {he that is} higher than the highest regardeth; and {there be} higher than they. {at the... Heb. at the will, or, purpose}
Ecclesiastes 5:8 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king {himself} is served by the field.
Ecclesiastes 5:9 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this {is} also vanity.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good {is there} to the owners thereof, saving the beholding {of them} with their eyes?
Ecclesiastes 5:11 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
The sleep of a labouring man {is} sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
Ecclesiastes 5:12 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
There is a sore evil {which} I have seen under the sun, {namely}, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
Ecclesiastes 5:13 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and {there is} nothing in his hand.
Ecclesiastes 5:14 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
Ecclesiastes 5:15 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
And this also {is} a sore evil, {that} in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
Ecclesiastes 5:16 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and {he hath} much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
Ecclesiastes 5:17 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
Behold {that} which I have seen: {it is} good and comely {for one} to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it {is} his portion. {It is good...: Heb. there is a good which is comely, etc} {all the days: Heb. the number of the days}
Ecclesiastes 5:18 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this {is} the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth {him} in the joy of his heart. {For...: or, Though he give not much, yet he remembereth, etc}
Ecclesiastes 5:20 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.