Ecclesiastes 5:4
New International Version
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.

New Living Translation
When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.

English Standard Version
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.

Berean Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

King James Bible
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

New King James Version
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—

New American Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

NASB 1995
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

NASB 1977
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it, for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

Legacy Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

Amplified Bible
When you make a vow or a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools [who thoughtlessly mock Him]. Pay what you vow.

Christian Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.

American Standard Version
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay its accomplishment, because there is no pleasure in fools, but pay what you vow

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Whenever thou shalt vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay thou therefore whatsoever thou shalt have vowed.

Contemporary English Version
God doesn't like fools. So don't be slow to keep your promises to God.

Douay-Rheims Bible
If thou hast vowed any thing to God, defer not to pay it: for an unfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth him: but whatsoever thou hast vowed, pay it.

English Revised Version
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When you make a promise to God, don't be slow to keep it because God doesn't like fools. Keep your promise.

Good News Translation
So when you make a promise to God, keep it as quickly as possible. He has no use for a fool. Do what you promise to do.

International Standard Version
When you make a promise to God, don't fail to keep it, since he isn't pleased with fools. Keep what you promise—

JPS Tanakh 1917
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest.

Literal Standard Version
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which you vow—complete.

Majority Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

New American Bible
When you make a vow to God, delay not its fulfillment. For God has no pleasure in fools; fulfill what you have vowed.

NET Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

New Revised Standard Version
When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you vow.

New Heart English Bible
When you vow a vow to God, do not defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

Webster's Bible Translation
When thou vowest a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

World English Bible
When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

Young's Literal Translation
When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest -- complete.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Approaching God with Awe
3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. 5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.…

Cross References
Numbers 30:2
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.

Deuteronomy 23:21
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.

Judges 11:35
As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back."

Psalm 22:25
My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.

Psalm 50:14
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.

Psalm 66:13
I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You--

Psalm 66:14
the vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke in my distress.


Treasury of Scripture

When you vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay that which you have vowed.

vowest

Genesis 28:20
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Genesis 35:1,3
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother…

Numbers 30:2
If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

for

Psalm 147:10,11
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man…

Malachi 1:10
Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

Hebrews 10:6
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

pay

Psalm 66:13,14
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, …

Psalm 116:14,16-18
I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people…

Jonah 2:9
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

Jump to Previous
Complete Defer Delay Delight Effect Foolish Fools Fulfill Fulfilling Late Oath Pay Paying Pleasure Quickly Vow Vowed Vowest
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Complete Defer Delay Delight Effect Foolish Fools Fulfill Fulfilling Late Oath Pay Paying Pleasure Quickly Vow Vowed Vowest
Ecclesiastes 5
1. vanities in divine service
8. in murmuring against oppression
9. and in riches
18. Joy in riches is the gift of God.














(4) There is here a clear recognition of the passage in Deuteronomy. (See ref.; comp. Ecclesiasticus 18:23.)

No pleasure in fools.--Comp. Isaiah 62:4.

Verse 4. - Koheleth passes on to give a warning concerning the making of vows, which formed a great feature in Hebrew religion, and was the occasion of much irreverence and profanity. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it. There is here plainly a reminiscence of Deuteronomy 23:21-23. Vows are not regarded as absolute duties which every one was obliged to undertake. They are of a voluntary nature, but when made are to be strictly performed. They might consist of a promise to dedicate certain things or persons to God (see Genesis 38:20; Judges 11:30), or to abstain from doing certain things, as in the case of the Nazarites. The rabbinical injunction quoted by our Lord in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:33), "Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths," was probably levelled against profane swearing, or invoking God's Name lightly, but it may include the duty of performing vows made to or in the Name of God. Our Lord does not condemn the practice of corban, while noticing with rebuke a perversion of the custom (Mark 7:11). For he hath no pleasure in fools. The non-fulfillment of a vow would prove a man to be impious, in proverbial language "a fool," and as such God must regard him with displeasure. The clause in the Hebrew is somewhat ambiguous, being literally, There is no pleasure (chephets) in fools; i.e. no one, neither God nor man, would take pleasure in fools who make promises and never perform them. Or it may be, There is no fixed will in fools; i.e. they waver and are undecided in purpose. But this rendering of chephets appears to be very doubtful. Septuagint Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι θέλημα ἐν ἄφροσι which reproduces the vagueness of the Hebrew; Vulgate, Displicet enim ei (Deo) infidelis et stulta promissio. The meaning is well represented in the Authorized Version, and we must complete the sense by supplying in thought "on the part of God." Pay that which thou but vowed. Ben-Sirs re-echoes the injunction (Ecclus. 18:22, 23), "Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vow (εὐχὴν) in due time, and defer not until death to be justified [i.e. to fulfill the vow]. Before making a vow (εὔξασθαι) prepare thyself; and be not as one that tempteth the Lord." The verse is cited in the Talmud; and Dukes gives a parallel, "Before thou vowest anything, consider the object of thy vow" ('Rabb. Blumenl.,' p. 70). So in Proverbs 20:25 we have, according to some translations, "It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, and after vows to make inquiry." Septuagint," Pay thou therefore whatsoever thou shalt have vowed (ὅσα ἐάν εὔξη),

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When
כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you make
תִּדֹּ֨ר (tid·dōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5087: To promise

a vow
נֶ֜דֶר (ne·ḏer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5088: A promise, a thing promised

to God,
לֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים (lê·lō·hîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

delay
תְּאַחֵר֙ (tə·’a·ḥêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 309: To loiter, to procrastinate

in fulfilling it,
לְשַׁלְּמ֔וֹ (lə·šal·lə·mōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7999: To be safe, to be, completed, to be friendly, to reciprocate

because
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

He takes no
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

pleasure
חֵ֖פֶץ (ḥê·p̄eṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2656: Pleasure, desire, a valuable thing, a matter

in fools.
בַּכְּסִילִ֑ים (bak·kə·sî·lîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

Fulfill
שַׁלֵּֽם׃ (šal·lêm)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7999: To be safe, to be, completed, to be friendly, to reciprocate

your vow.
תִּדֹּ֖ר (tid·dōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5087: To promise


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you vow a vow to God (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
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