Summary
The Teacher shifts focus to practical wisdom about communication and money. He warns against running your mouth, especially when making promises or commitments - whether to God, your boss, or anyone else. Better to say nothing than to make promises you can't keep. He observes that fools are known by their endless chatter, while wise people choose their words carefully. The chapter then tackles money and class with brutal honesty. The Teacher points out that loving money is like chasing your own shadow - you'll never catch enough to satisfy you. He notes how wealth often becomes a burden rather than a blessing. Rich people lose sleep worrying about their money, while working people sleep soundly regardless of whether they had a big dinner or just a sandwich. The wealthy often hoard their riches only to lose them through bad investments or see them slip away from their children. Meanwhile, they spend their lives anxious and miserable, missing the simple pleasures right in front of them. But here's the twist - the Teacher isn't anti-wealth. He suggests that if you do have money, the key is learning to actually enjoy it rather than just accumulating it. The goal isn't to be rich or poor, but to find satisfaction in your work and take pleasure in life's basic gifts: food, drink, and meaningful labor. This is practical philosophy for anyone juggling bills and wondering if they're missing something bigger.
Coming Up in Chapter 6
The Teacher has observed something troubling that happens to many people - a cruel irony about wealth and satisfaction that reveals how life can play tricks on even those who seem to have everything.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
K21:005:001 eep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 21:005:002 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. 21:005:003 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 21:005:004 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. 21:005:005 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 21:005:006 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? 21:005:007 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 21:005:008 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. 21:005:009 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 21:005:010 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 21:005:011 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? 21:005:012 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 21:005:013 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 21:005:014 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 21:005:015 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 21:005:016 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? 21:005:017 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. 21:005:018 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 21:005:019 Every man also to whom...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Empty Chasing - When More Becomes Less
The more desperately we pursue something, the more our desperation creates behaviors that push it away from us.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to recognize when someone (including yourself) is making promises from a place of insecurity rather than capability.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when people make unusually grand promises or commitments – ask yourself what they might be trying to prove or compensate for.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Vow
A solemn promise made to God or another authority figure, often involving specific commitments or sacrifices. In ancient Israel, breaking a vow was considered a serious offense that could bring divine punishment. People made vows during desperate times or as expressions of gratitude.
Modern Usage:
We see this when people make promises during crises ('If I get this job, I'll never complain again') or New Year's resolutions they can't keep.
House of God
The temple or place of worship where people came to pray, make sacrifices, and seek divine guidance. It was considered sacred space where proper behavior and reverence were required. Speaking carelessly or making empty promises there was seen as particularly offensive.
Modern Usage:
Any place where we're expected to show respect and watch our words - courtrooms, churches, important meetings with authority figures.
Sacrifice of fools
Empty religious rituals performed without understanding or genuine commitment. The Teacher criticizes people who go through the motions of worship while their hearts and actions remain unchanged. It's about performance versus authentic engagement.
Modern Usage:
Like posting inspirational quotes on social media while treating people badly, or going to church just to be seen there.
Oppression of the poor
The systematic mistreatment and exploitation of working-class people by those in power. The Teacher acknowledges this as a persistent reality rather than something that can be easily fixed. He suggests that corruption exists at every level of authority.
Modern Usage:
We see this in wage theft, predatory lending, expensive healthcare, and any system where the powerful profit from keeping others down.
Vanity
A key concept in Ecclesiastes meaning emptiness, futility, or meaninglessness. Not about physical appearance, but about pursuits that ultimately lead nowhere. The Teacher uses this word to describe activities that consume our energy without delivering lasting satisfaction.
Modern Usage:
Chasing social media likes, working yourself to death for a promotion that doesn't make you happier, or buying things to impress people you don't even like.
Fear of God
Reverent respect and awareness of divine authority, not terror or anxiety. It involves recognizing that there are forces and consequences beyond our control. The Teacher presents this as wisdom that keeps people grounded and honest.
Modern Usage:
Having healthy respect for consequences, understanding your place in the bigger picture, or recognizing when you're not the one in control.
Characters in This Chapter
The Teacher
Narrator and wisdom guide
Continues his practical advice about communication and money management. He warns against making promises you can't keep and observes how wealth often brings more problems than happiness. His tone is realistic rather than idealistic.
Modern Equivalent:
The experienced coworker who's seen it all and gives you straight talk about office politics and life
The fool
Negative example
Represents people who talk too much, make empty promises, and don't think before they speak. The Teacher uses fools as examples of what not to do, especially in important situations or when dealing with authority.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who overshares on social media and makes dramatic promises they never follow through on
The rich man
Cautionary example
Demonstrates how wealth can become a burden rather than a blessing. He loses sleep worrying about his money, hoards his riches, and ultimately loses everything anyway. His wealth makes him anxious rather than happy.
Modern Equivalent:
The workaholic boss who has everything but seems miserable and stressed all the time
The working man
Positive contrast
Sleeps well regardless of whether he's eaten much or little, representing contentment with simple pleasures. The Teacher presents him as having something the rich man lacks: peace of mind and the ability to enjoy life's basic gifts.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who works hard but goes home and actually relaxes, enjoying time with family and simple pleasures
Key Quotes & Analysis
"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."
Context: Advising about proper behavior and communication in sacred or important spaces
This establishes a hierarchy of respect and emphasizes the power of restraint. The Teacher suggests that knowing when to stay quiet is a sign of wisdom, especially when dealing with authority or in serious situations.
In Today's Words:
Think before you speak, especially around important people or in serious situations. Sometimes it's better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing.
"Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay."
Context: Warning about making promises or commitments you can't keep
This is practical advice about reputation and integrity. The Teacher recognizes that broken promises damage relationships and credibility more than never making promises at all.
In Today's Words:
Don't make promises you can't keep. It's better to under-promise and over-deliver than to let people down.
"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity."
Context: Explaining the futility of pursuing wealth for its own sake
This captures the psychology of greed - how the desire for money becomes self-perpetuating and never leads to satisfaction. The more you have, the more you want, creating an endless cycle.
In Today's Words:
If you love money, you'll never have enough. There's always going to be something else you want to buy or achieve.
"The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep."
Context: Contrasting the peace of working people with the anxiety of the wealthy
This reveals how wealth can become a source of stress rather than comfort. The working person has peace of mind that money can't buy, while the rich person's abundance becomes a burden that disrupts even basic rest.
In Today's Words:
Working people sleep better at night because they're not lying awake worrying about all their money and possessions.
Thematic Threads
Communication
In This Chapter
The Teacher warns against making promises you can't keep and talking too much - fools are known by their endless chatter
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when you find yourself over-promising at work or talking more when you're nervous instead of listening.
Class
In This Chapter
Wealth becomes a burden rather than blessing - rich people lose sleep worrying while workers sleep soundly regardless of their meal size
Development
Builds on earlier observations about social hierarchy, now focusing on the psychological costs of wealth
In Your Life:
You see this when you realize the wealthy people you know seem more anxious about money than you do, despite having more of it.
Satisfaction
In This Chapter
The key isn't being rich or poor, but learning to enjoy what you have rather than just accumulating
Development
Develops the theme of finding meaning in simple pleasures introduced in earlier chapters
In Your Life:
This appears when you catch yourself saving for 'someday' but never allowing yourself to enjoy small pleasures today.
Work
In This Chapter
Finding satisfaction in your labor itself, not just what it produces or pays
Development
Continues the thread about work's role in human meaning-making
In Your Life:
You experience this when you realize some of your best days at work had nothing to do with your paycheck.
Anxiety
In This Chapter
Wealth creates worry and sleeplessness, while simple living allows rest
Development
Introduced here as a consequence of misplaced priorities
In Your Life:
You see this pattern when financial stress keeps you awake, or when you notice that your happiest memories cost very little.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
The Teacher warns against making promises you can't keep and says fools are known by their endless chatter. What specific behaviors does he identify as signs of poor judgment?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does the Teacher say that loving money is like chasing your own shadow? What happens to people who hoard wealth versus those who learn to enjoy what they have?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about someone you know who constantly volunteers for extra projects or makes big promises. How does their desperation to look reliable actually backfire on them?
application • medium - 4
The Teacher suggests there's a difference between chasing something and choosing something. How would you apply this distinction to a current goal or worry in your own life?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter reveal about the relationship between desperation and self-defeat? Why do our most urgent wants often create the very behaviors that push away what we're seeking?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Chase vs. Choose Inventory
Make two lists: things you're currently chasing (where you feel desperate, anxious, or like you're never doing enough) and things you're choosing (where you feel intentional and in control). For each item on your 'chasing' list, write one small action that would move it toward 'choosing.'
Consider:
- •Notice physical sensations - chasing usually feels tense, choosing feels calm
- •Look for patterns where your efforts to get something are actually pushing it away
- •Consider whether you're making promises or commitments from desperation rather than genuine capability
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when your desperation for something (approval, money, love, success) led you to behave in ways that actually made it harder to get what you wanted. What would you do differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 6: When Success Feels Empty
As the story unfolds, you'll explore having everything you want doesn't guarantee satisfaction, while uncovering to recognize the difference between achievement and fulfillment. These lessons connect the classic to contemporary challenges we all face.