27 The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—
how much more so
when he brings it with ulterior motives!(A)

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27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable(A)
    how much more so when brought with evil intent!(B)

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27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

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Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law—
even his prayer is detestable.(A)

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If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
    even their prayers are detestable.(A)

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He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

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Caution in God’s Presence

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do,(A) for they ignorantly do wrong.

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Fulfill Your Vow to God

[a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19.

Keep 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.

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11 “What are all your sacrifices to me?”
asks the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams
and the fat of well-fed cattle;
I have no desire for the blood of bulls,
lambs, or male goats.(A)

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11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
    what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
    of rams and the fat of fattened animals;(A)
I have no pleasure(B)
    in the blood of bulls(C) and lambs and goats.(D)

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11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

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20 What use to me is frankincense from Sheba(A)
or sweet cane(B) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please me.(C)

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20 What do I care about incense from Sheba(A)
    or sweet calamus(B) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;(C)
    your sacrifices(D) do not please me.”(E)

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20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

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Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams(A)
or with ten thousand streams of oil?
Should I give my firstborn for my transgression,(B)
the offspring of my body for my own sin?

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Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(A)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(B)
Shall I offer my firstborn(C) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(D)

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Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

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