Day 248 of 365

¹Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

²Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.

³Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

⁴Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

⁵The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

⁶Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

⁷Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

⁸There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment? This also is vanity, yes, it is a miserable business.

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

¹⁰For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.

¹¹Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

¹²If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹³Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.

¹⁴For out of prison he came forth to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

¹⁵I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

¹⁶There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was-yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

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?

¹Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand, and his holy arm, have worked salvation for him.

²The Lord has made known his salvation. He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

³He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

⁴Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

⁵Sing praises to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody.

⁶With trumpets and sound of the ram's horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

⁷Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.

⁸Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together.

⁹Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

¹The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him.

²"Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

³Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, 'Where is strong drink?'

⁵lest they drink, and forget the decree, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul:

⁷Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy."

¹⁰Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.

¹²She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

¹³She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.

¹⁵She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn't go out by night.

¹⁹She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn't eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:

²⁹"Many women do noble things, but you excel them all."

³⁰Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!