Jul 3 - Ecclesiastes 1-4
Ecclesiastes
1The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem2Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity3What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun4A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever5The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again6it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle7All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again8Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing9What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done10There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: "Behold, this is new!" For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us11There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end12I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem13And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it14I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit15The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless16I have spoken in my heart, saying: "Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem." And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned17And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit18Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship
1I said in my heart: "I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things." And I saw that this, too, is emptiness2Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: "Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?3I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life4I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards5I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind6And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees7I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem8I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine9And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me10And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors11But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun12I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. "What is man," I said, "that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?13And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness14The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other15And I said in my heart: "If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?" And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness16For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned17And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit18Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me19though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty20Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun21For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden22For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun23All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness24Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God25So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have26God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind
1All things have their time, and all things under heaven continue during their interval2A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pull up what was planted3A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to tear down, and a time to build up4A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance5A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces6A time to gain, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away7A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to be silent, and a time to speak8A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace9What more does a man have from his labor10I have seen the affliction that God has given to the sons of men, in order that they may be occupied by it11He has made all things good in their time, and he has handed over the world to their disputes, so that man may not discover the work which God made from the beginning, even until the end12And I realize that there is nothing better than to rejoice, and to do well in this life13For this is a gift from God: when each man eats and drinks, and sees the good results of his labor14I have learned that all the works which God has made continue on, in perpetuity. We are not able to add anything, nor to take anything away, from those things which God has made in order that he may be feared15What has been made, the same continues. What is in the future, has already existed. And God restores what has passed away16I saw under the sun: instead of judgment, impiety, and instead of justice, iniquity17And I said in my heart: "God will judge the just and the impious, and then the time for each matter shall be.18I said in my heart, about the sons of men, that God would test them, and reveal them to be like wild animals19For this reason, the passing away of man and of beasts is one, and the condition of both is equal. For as a man dies, so also do they die. All things breathe similarly, and man has nothing more than beast; for all these are subject to vanity20And all things continue on to one place; for from the earth they were made, and unto the earth they shall return together21Who knows if the spirit of the sons of Adam ascend upward, and if the spirit of the beasts descend downward22And I have discovered nothing to be better than for a man to rejoice in his work: for this is his portion. And who shall add to him, so that he may know the things that will occur after him
1I turned myself to other things, and I saw the false accusations which are carried out under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and that there was no one to console them; and that they were not able to withstand their violence, being destitute of all help2And so, I praised the dead more than the living3And happier than both of these, I judged him to be, who has not yet been born, and who has not yet seen the evils which are done under the sun4Again, I was contemplating all the labors of men. And I took notice that their endeavors are open to the envy of their neighbor. And so, in this, too, there is emptiness and superfluous anxiety5The foolish man folds his hands together, and he consumes his own flesh, saying6"A handful with rest is better than both hands filled with labors and with affliction of the soul"7While considering this, I also discovered another vanity under the sun8He is one, and he does not have a second: no son, no brother. And yet he does not cease to labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with wealth, nor does he reflect, saying: "For whom do I labor and cheat my soul of good things?" In this, too, is emptiness and a most burdensome affliction9Therefore, it is better for two to be together, than for one to be alone. For they have the advantage of their companionship10If one falls, he shall be supported by the other. Woe to one who is alone. For when he falls, he has no one to lift him up11And if two are sleeping, they warm one another. How can one person alone be warmed12And if a man can prevail against one, two may withstand him, and a threefold cord is broken with difficulty13Better is a boy, poor and wise, than a king, old and foolish, who does not know to look ahead for the sake of posterity14For sometimes, one goes forth from prison and chains, to a kingdom, while another, born to kingly power, is consumed by need15I saw all the living who are walking under the sun, and I saw the next generation, who shall rise up in their places16The number of people, out of all who existed before these, is boundless. And those who will exist afterwards shall not rejoice in them. But this, too, is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit