Jul 4 - Ecclesiastes 5-9
Ecclesiastes
1Guard your foot, when you step into the house of God, and draw near, so that you may listen. For obedience is much better than the sacrifices of the foolish, who do not know the evil that they are doing2You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few3Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found4If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him5And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised6You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, "There is no Providence." For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands7Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God8If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these9But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him10A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness11Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes12Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep13There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner14For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution15Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors16It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind17All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness18And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion19And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors20And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights
1There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men2It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune3If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he4For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion5He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil6Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place7Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled8What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life9It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit10Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself11There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.12Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun
1A good name is better than precious ointments, and a day of death is better than a day of birth2It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting. For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things, so that the living consider what may be in the future3Anger is better than laughter. For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected4The heart of the wise is a place of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing5It is better to be corrected by a wise man, than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish6For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness7A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart8The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance9Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish10You should not say: "What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?" For this type of question is foolish11Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous, for those who see the sun12For as wisdom protects, so also does money protect. But learning and wisdom have this much more: that they grant life to one who possesses them13Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised14In good times, enjoy good things, but beware of an evil time. For just as God has established the one, so also the other, in order that man may not find any just complaint against him15I also saw this, in the days of my vanity: a just man perishing in his justice, and an impious man living a long time in his malice16Do not try to be overly just, and do not try to be more wise than is necessary, lest you become stupid17Do not act with great impiety, and do not choose to be foolish, lest you die before your time18It is good for you to support a just man. Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him, for whoever fears God, neglects nothing19Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city20But there is no just man on earth, who does good and does not sin21So then, do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken, lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you22For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others23I have tested everything in wisdom. I have said: "I will be wise." And wisdom withdrew farther from me24so much more than it was before. Wisdom is very profound, so who shall reveal her25I have examined all things in my soul, so that I may know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason, and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish, and the error of the imprudent26And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death: she who is like the snare of a hunter, and whose heart is like a net, and whose hands are like chains. Whoever pleases God shall flee from her. But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her27Behold, Ecclesiastes said, I have discovered these things, one after another, in order that I might discover the explanatio28which my soul still seeks and has not found. One man among a thousand, I have found; a woman among them all, I have not found29This alone have I discovered: that God made man righteous, and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions. Who is so great as the wise? And who has understood the meaning of the word
1The wisdom of a man shines in his countenance, and even the expression of a most powerful man will change2I heed the mouth of the king, and the commandment of an oath to God3You should not hastily withdraw from his presence, nor should you remain in an evil work. For all that pleases him, he will do4And his word is filled with authority. Neither is anyone able to say to him: "Why are you acting this way?5Whoever keeps the commandment will not experience evil. The heart of a wise man understands the time to respond6For every matter, there is a time and an opportunity, as well as many difficulties, for man7For he is ignorant of the past, and he is able to know nothing of the future by means of a messenger8It is not in the power of a man to prohibit the spirit, nor does he have authority over the day of death, nor is he permitted to rest when war breaks out, and neither will impiety save the impious9I have considered all these things, and I have applied my heart to all the works which are being done under the sun. Sometimes one man rules over another to his own harm10I have seen the impious buried. These same, while they were still living, were in the holy place, and they were praised in the city as workers of justice. But this, too, is emptiness11For the sons of men perpetrate evils without any fear, because judgment is not pronounced quickly against the evil12But although a sinner may do evil of himself one hundred times, and by patience still endure, I realize that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere his face13So, may it not go well with the impious, and may his days not be prolonged. And let those who do not fear the face of the Lord pass away like a shadow14There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are the just, to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the impious. And there are the impious, who are very secure, as though they possess the deeds of the just. But this, too, I judge to be a very great vanity15And so, I praised rejoicing, because there was no good for a man under the sun, except to eat and drink, and to be cheerful, and because he may take nothing with him from his labor in the days of his life, which God has given to him under the sun16And I applied my heart, so that I might know wisdom, and so that I might understand a disturbance that turns upon the earth: it is a man, who takes no sleep with his eyes, day and night17And I understood that man is able to find no explanation for all those works of God which are done under the sun. And so, the more that he labors to seek, so much the less does he find. Yes, even if a wise man were to claim that he knows, he would not be able to discover it
1I have drawn all these things through my heart, so that I might carefully understand. There are just men as well as wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. And yet a man does not know so much as whether he is worthy of love or of hatred2But all things in the future remain uncertain, because all things happen equally to the just and to the impious, to the good and to the bad, to the pure and to the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and to those who despise sacrifices. As the good are, so also are sinners. As those who commit perjury are, so also are those who swear to the truth3This is a very great burden among all things that are done under the sun: that the same things happen to everyone. And when the hearts of the sons of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lives, afterwards they shall be dragged down to hell4There is no one who lives forever, or who even has confidence in this regard. A living dog is better than a dead lion5For the living know that they themselves will die, yet truly the dead know nothing anymore, nor do they have any recompense. For the memory of them is forgotten6Likewise, love and hatred and envy have all perished together, nor have they any place in this age and in the work which is done under the sun7So then, go and eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with gladness. For your works are pleasing to God8Let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be absent from your head9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your uncertain life which have been given to you under the sun, during all the time of your vanity. For this is your portion in life and in your labor, with which you labor under the sun10Whatever your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying11I turned myself toward another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the learned, nor grace to the skilful: but there is a time and an end for all these things12Man does not know his own end. But, just as fish are caught with a hook, and birds are captured with a snare, so are men seized in the evil time, when it will suddenly overwhelm them13This wisdom, likewise, I have seen under the sun, and I have examined it intensely14There was a small city, with a few men in it. There came against it a great king, who surrounded it, and built fortifications all around it, and the blockade was completed15And there was found within it, a poor and wise man, and he freed the city through his wisdom, and nothing was recorded afterward of that poor man16And so, I declared that wisdom is better than strength. But how is it, then, that the wisdom of the poor man is treated with contempt, and his words are not heeded17The words of the wise are heard in silence, more so than the outcry of a prince among the foolish18Wisdom is better than weapons of war. And whoever offends in one thing, shall lose many good things