---
title: "Ecclesiastes 5 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/ecclesiastes/5/
description: "Caution in words. Vows are to be paid. Riches are often pernicious: the… Ecclesiastes 5 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5 is chapter 5 of 12 in the Book of Ecclesiastes. Here are all 19 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Caution in words. Vows are to be paid. Riches are often pernicious: the moderate use of them is the gift of God.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Ecclesiastes 5 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few.
2. Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
3. If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
4. And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
5. You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
6. Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.
7. If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
8. But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
9. A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
10. Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?
11. Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
12. There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.
13. For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
14. Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
15. It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
16. All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
17. And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
18. And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
19. And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.

## Ecclesiastes 5 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Ne temere quid loquaris, neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo. Deus enim in cælo, et tu super terram; idcirco sint pauci sermones tui.
2. Multas curas sequuntur somnia, et in multis sermonibus invenietur stultitia.
3. Si quid vovisti Deo, ne moreris reddere: displicet enim ei infidelis et stulta promissio, sed quodcumque voveris redde:
4. multoque melius est non vovere, quam post votum promissa non reddere.
5. Ne dederis os tuum ut peccare facias carnem tuam, neque dicas coram angelo: Non est providentia: ne forte iratus Deus contra sermones tuos dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum.
6. Ubi multa sunt somnia, plurimæ sunt vanitates, et sermones innumeri; tu vero Deum time.
7. Si videris calumnias egenorum, et violenta judicia, et subverti justitiam in provincia, non mireris super hoc negotio: quia excelso excelsior est alius, et super hos quoque eminentiores sunt alii;
8. et insuper universæ terræ rex imperat servienti.
9. Avarus non implebitur pecunia, et qui amat divitias fructum non capiet ex eis; et hoc ergo vanitas.
10. Ubi multæ sunt opes, multi et qui comedunt eas. Et quid prodest possessori, nisi quod cernit divitias oculis suis?
11. Dulcis est somnus operanti, sive parum sive multum comedat; saturitas autem divitis non sinit eum dormire.
12. Est et alia infirmitas pessima quam vidi sub sole: divitiæ conservatæ in malum domini sui.
13. Pereunt enim in afflictione pessima: generavit filium qui in summa egestate erit.
14. Sicut egressus est nudus de utero matris suæ, sic revertetur, et nihil auferet secum de labore suo.
15. Miserabilis prorsus infirmitas: quomodo venit, sic revertetur. Quid ergo prodest ei quod laboravit in ventum?
16. cunctis diebus vitæ suæ comedit in tenebris, et in curis multis, et in ærumna atque tristitia.
17. Hoc itaque visum est mihi bonum, ut comedat quis et bibat, et fruatur lætitia ex labore suo quo laboravit ipse sub sole, numero dierum vitæ suæ quos dedit ei Deus; et hæc est pars illius.
18. Et omni homini cui dedit Deus divitias atque substantiam, potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis, et fruatur parte sua, et lætetur de labore suo: hoc est donum Dei.
19. Non enim satis recordabitur dierum vitæ suæ, eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cor ejus.

## The saints

- “Let our speech and petition when we pray be under discipline, observing quietness and modesty. Let us consider that we are standing in God's sight.” — St. Cyprian, On the Lord's Prayer, 4, c. 252 (On this theme: verse 2)

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).