Ecclesiastes 5:2
1 Guard 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.
Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
3 As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
- ASV
- Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
- DARBY
- Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in the heavens, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.
- BLB
- Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart hurry to bring out a word before the face of God; for God [is] in the heavens, and you [are] upon the earth—upon thus, let your words be few.
- ÅB
- Vær ikke for snar med din munn, og la ikke ditt hjerte forhaste seg med å bære fram et ord for Guds åsyn! For Gud er i himmelen og du på jorden; la derfor dine ord være få!
- OTB
- Vær ikke rask med munnen, og la ikke ditt hjerte forhaste seg med å fremføre en sak for Gud. For Gud er i himmelen og du er på jorden, så la dine ord være få.
- B1930
- Vær ikke for snar med din munn, og la ikke ditt hjerte forhaste sig med å bære frem et ord for Guds åsyn! For Gud er i himmelen og du på jorden; la derfor dine ord være få!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Matthew 6:7
And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.
Read in contextProverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
Read in contextIsaiah 55:9
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Read in contextMatthew 6:9
So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Read in contextNumbers 30:2–5
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 5:7
For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
Read in contextGenesis 18:27
Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
Read in contextEcclesiastes 5:3
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
Read in context