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Advice in Worship

[a]Watch your step whenever you visit God’s house, and come more ready to listen than to offer a fool’s sacrifice, since fools[b] never think they’re doing evil.

[c]Don’t be impulsive with your mouth
    nor be in a hurry to talk in God’s presence.
Since God is in heaven
    and you’re on earth,
        keep your speech short.
Too many worries lead to nightmares,
    and a fool is known from talking too much.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 This v. is 4:17 in MT
  2. Ecclesiastes 5:1 Lit. they
  3. Ecclesiastes 5:2 This v. is 5:1 in MT, and so throughout the chapter.

Fulfill Your Vow to God

[a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.(A)
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.(B)
A dream(C) comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19.