Fear God, Beware of Vows

Ecclesiastes 5 opens with counsel on approaching God: guard your steps; draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; let not your mouth lead you into sin. God is in heaven and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools; pay what you vow. Better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

The chapter turns to wealth: he who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth with his income. This also is hevel. When goods increase, they increase who eat them; and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. A grievous evil: riches kept by their owner to his hurt, and then those riches perish in a bad venture, and he has nothing in his hand.

The chapter closes with the carpe diem passage in its clearest form: this is what I have seen to be good and fitting — to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil — this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.