Jul 5 - Ecclesiastes 10-12
Ecclesiastes
1Dying flies ruin the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a brief and limited foolishness2The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a foolish man is in his left hand3Moreover, as a foolish man is walking along the way, even though he himself is unwise, he considers everyone to be foolish4If the spirit of one who holds authority rises over you, do not leave your place, because attentiveness will cause the greatest sins to cease5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, proceeding from the presence of a prince, as if by mistake6a foolish man appointed to a high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath him7I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking on the ground like servants8Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever tears apart a hedge, a snake will bite him9Whoever carries away stones will be harmed by them. And whoever cuts down trees will be wounded by them10If the iron is dull, and if it was not that way before, but has been made dull by much labor, then it will be sharpened. And wisdom will follow after diligence11Whoever slanders in secret is nothing less than a snake that bites silently12Words from the mouth of a wise man are graceful, but the lips of a foolish man will throw him down with violence13At the beginning of his words is foolishness, and at the end of his talk is a most grievous error14The fool multiplies his words. A man does not know what has been before him, and who is able to reveal to him what will be in the future after him15The hardship of the foolish will afflict those who do not know to go into the city16Woe to you, the land whose king is a boy, and whose princes consume in the morning17Blessed is the land whose king is noble, and whose princes eat at the proper time, for refreshment and not for self-indulgence18By laziness, a framework shall be brought down, and by the weakness of hands, a house shall collapse through19While laughing, they make bread and wine, so that the living may feast. And all things are obedient to money20You should not slander the king, even in your thoughts, and you should not speak evil of a wealthy man, even in your private chamber. For even the birds of the air will carry your voice, and whatever has wings will announce your opinion
1Cast your bread over running waters. For, after a long time, you shall find it again2Give a portion to seven, and indeed even to eight. For you do not know what evil may be upon the earth in the future3If the clouds have been filled, they will pour forth rain upon the earth. If a tree falls to the south, or to the north, or to whatever direction it may fall, there it shall remain4Whoever heeds the wind will not sow. And whoever considers the clouds will never reap5In the same manner that you do not know the way of the spirit, nor the way that bones are joined together in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the works of God, who is the Maker of all6In the morning, sow your seed, and in the evening, do not let your hand cease. For you do not know which of these may rise up, the one or the other. But if both rise up together, so much the better7Light is pleasant, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun8If a man lives for many years, and if he has rejoiced in all of these, he must remember the many days of the dark times, which, when they will have arrived, will accuse the past of vanity9So then, rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart remain in what is good during the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart, and with the perception of your eyes. And know that, concerning all these things, God will bring you to judgment10Remove anger from your heart, and set aside evil from your flesh. For youth and pleasure are empty
1Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, "These do not please me.2Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain3when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened4And they will close the doors to the street, when the voice of he who grinds the grain will be humbled, and they will be disturbed at the sound of a flying thing, and all the daughters of song shall become deaf5Likewise, they will fear the things above them, and they will dread the way. The almond tree will flourish; the locust will be fattened; and the caper plant will be scattered, because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall wander around in the street6Before the silver cord is broken, and the golden band pulls away, and the pitcher is crushed over the fountain, and the wheel is broken above the cistern7and the dust returns to its earth, from which it was, and the spirit returns to God, who granted it8Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all is vanity9And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables10He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth11The words of the wise are like a goad, and like nails deeply fastened, which, through the counsel of teachers, are set forth by one pastor12You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh13Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man14And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil