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Ecclesiastes 5:2–3

2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore qlet your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with rmany words.

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Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — The New International Version (NIV)

Do not be quick with your mouth,

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few.

A dream comes when there are many cares,

and many words mark the speech of a fool.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — New Living Translation (NLT)

Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

Do not be rash with your mouth,

And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.

For God is in heaven, and you on earth;

Therefore let your words be few.

For a dream comes through much activity,

And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — New Century Version (NCV)

Think before you speak,

and be careful about what you say to God.

God is in heaven,

and you are on the earth,

so say only a few words to God.

The saying is true: Bad dreams come from too much worrying,

and too many words come from foolish people.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — American Standard Version (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. For a dream cometh with a multitude of business, and a fool’s voice with a multitude of words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — 1890 Darby Bible (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. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool’s voice through a multitude of words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Don’t be in a hurry to talk. Don’t be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words. 

Daydreaming comes when there are too many worries. 

Careless speaking comes when there are too many words. 

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. For dreams result from much work and a fool’s voice from many words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.

For dreams come with many cares, and a fool’s voice with many words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Do not be rash with your mouth,

and do not let your heart be quick to utter a word before God.

For God is in heaven, and you are on earth;

therefore, let your words be few.

For a dream comes with many cares,

and the voice of a fool with many words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Don’t be too quick to speak.

Don’t be in a hurry to say anything to God.

He is in heaven. You are on earth.

So use only a few words when you speak.

Dreams come to people when they worry a lot.

When foolish people talk, they use too many words.

Ecclesiastes 5:2–3 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.


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