Ecclesiastes 5:6
“Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne, neither say thou before the Angel, that it was an errour: wherefore should God be angrie at thy voyce, and destroy the worke of thine hands?”
1611 King James Version (KJV)
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Ecclesiastes 5:6 Context
4When thou vowest a vow vnto God, deferre not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fooles; pay that which thou hast vowed. 5Better is it that thou shouldest not vowe, then that thou shouldest vowe and not pay. 6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne, neither say thou before the Angel, that it was an errour: wherefore should God be angrie at thy voyce, and destroy the worke of thine hands? 7For in the multitude of dreames and many words, there are also diuers vanities: but feare thou God. 8¶ If thou seest the oppression of the poore, and violent peruerting of iudgement, and iustice in a prouince, maruell not at the matter: for he that is higher then the highest, regardeth, and there be higher then they.
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Other Translations for Ecclesiastes 5:6
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it [was] an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
- King James Version
Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger {of God} that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
- New American Standard Version (1995)
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
- American Standard Version (1901)
Let not your mouth make your flesh do evil. And say not before the angel, It was an error. So that God may not be angry with your words and put an end to the work of your hands.
- Basic English Bible
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an inadvertence. Wherefore should God be wroth at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
- Darby Bible
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: why should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
- Webster's Bible
Don't allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don't protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
- World English Bible
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that `it [is] an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands?
- Youngs Literal Bible
(5:5) Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
- Jewish Publication Society Bible
Wesley's Notes for Ecclesiastes 5:6
5:6 Thy mouth - By any rash vow. Thy flesh - Thyself, the word flesh being often put for the whole man. The angel - The priest or ministers of holy things. Such persons are often called angels, or, as this Hebrew word is commonly rendered, messengers. And this title seems to be given to the priest here, because the vow made to God, was paid to the priest as one standing and acting in God's name and stead, and it belonged to him, as God's angel or ambassador, to discharge persons from their vows when there was just occasion. It was - I did unadvisedly in making such a vow. Angry - Why wilt thou provoke God to anger at these frivolous excuses? Destroy - Blast all thy labours, and particularly that work or enterprize for the success whereof thou didst make these vows.