Day 242 of 730

¹Guard your steps when you go to God's house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

²Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

³For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool's speech with a multitude of words.

⁴When you vow a vow to God, do not defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

⁵It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

⁶Do not allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Do not protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

⁷For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.

⁸If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, do not marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

⁹Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

¹⁰He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

¹¹When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

¹²The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

¹³There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

¹⁴Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

¹⁵As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

¹⁶This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

¹⁷All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

¹⁸Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

¹⁹Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor-this is the gift of God.

²⁰For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

¹There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

²a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but a foreigner eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

³If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn child is better than he:

⁴for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

⁵Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

⁶Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, do not all go to one place?

⁷All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

⁸For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

⁹Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

¹⁰Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

¹¹For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

¹²For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

¹It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, Most High;

²to proclaim your loving kindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night,

³with the ten-stringed lute, with the harp, and with the melody of the lyre.

⁴For you, Lord, have made me glad through your work. I will triumph in the works of your hands.

⁵How great are your works, Lord! Your thoughts are very deep.

⁶A senseless man doesn't know, neither does a fool understand this:

⁷though the wicked spring up as the grass, and all the evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.

⁸But you, Lord, are on high forevermore.

⁹For, behold, your enemies, Lord, for, behold, your enemies shall perish. All the evildoers will be scattered.

¹⁰But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox. I am anointed with fresh oil.

¹¹My eye has also seen my enemies. My ears have heard of the wicked enemies who rise up against me.

¹²The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

¹³They are planted in the Lord's house. They will flourish in our God's courts.

¹⁴They will still bring forth fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and green,

¹⁵to show that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

¹These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;

⁵Take away the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;

⁷for it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

⁸Do not be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

⁹Debate your case with your neighbor, and do not betray the confidence of another;

¹⁰lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.

¹¹A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

¹²As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹⁴As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

¹⁵By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.

¹⁷Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you.

¹⁸A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot.

²⁰As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:

²²for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

²³The north wind brings forth rain: so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.

²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

²⁵Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶Like a muddied spring, and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey; nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.

²⁸Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.