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The Evils of Oppression
4 Then I looked again at all the acts of (A)oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had (B)no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. 2 So (C)I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. 3 But (D)better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
4 I have seen that every labor and every (E)skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is [a](F)vanity and striving after wind. 5 The fool (G)folds his hands and (H)consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is (I)better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8 There was a certain man without a [b]dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, (J)his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And (K)for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a (L)grievous task.
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if [c]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not [d]another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they [e]keep warm, but (M)how can one be warm alone? 12 And if [f]one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
13 A (N)poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive [g]instruction. 14 For he has come (O)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who [h]replaces him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is (P)vanity and striving after wind.
Your Attitude Toward God
5 [i](Q)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the (R)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 [j]Do not be (S)hasty [k]in word or [l]impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your (T)words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much [m]effort and the voice of a (U)fool through many words.
4 When you (V)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. (W)Pay what you vow! 5 It is (X)better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your [n]speech cause [o]you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a (Y)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is [p]emptiness. Rather, [q](Z)fear God.
8 If you see (AA)oppression of the poor and (AB)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (AC)shocked at the [r]sight; for one [s]official watches over another [t]official, and there are higher [u]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.
The Folly of Riches
10 (AD)He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is [v]vanity. 11 (AE)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [w]look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is (AF)pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the [x]full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: (AG)riches being [y]hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14 When those riches were lost through [z]a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing [aa]to support him. 15 (AH)As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will (AI)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man [ab]is born, thus will he [ac]die. So (AJ)what is the advantage to him who (AK)toils for the wind? 17 Throughout his life (AL)he also eats in darkness with (AM)great vexation, sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be (AN)good and [ad]fitting: to eat, to drink and [ae]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few [af]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [ag](AO)reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom (AP)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (AQ)empowered him to eat from them and to receive his [ah]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the (AR)gift of God. 20 For he will not often [ai]consider the [aj]years of his life, because (AS)God keeps [ak]him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
The Futility of Life
6 There is an (AT)evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent [al]among men— 2 a man to whom God has (AU)given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul (AV)lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner [am]enjoys them. This is [an]vanity and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many [ao]they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper (AW)burial, then I say, “Better (AX)the miscarriage than he, 4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. 5 It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; [ap]it is better off than he. 6 Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not [aq]enjoy good things—(AY)do not all go to one place?”
7 (AZ)All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the [ar]appetite is not [as]satisfied. 8 For (BA)what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes (BB)see is better than what the soul [at]desires. This too is (BC)futility and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever (BD)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (BE)cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few [au]years of his futile life? He will [av]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man (BF)what will be after him under the sun?
14 (A)Do not be [a]bound together with (B)unbelievers; for what (C)partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what (D)harmony has Christ with [b]Belial, or [c]what has a (E)believer in common with an (F)unbeliever? 16 Or (G)what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are (H)the temple of (I)the living God; just as God said,
“(J)I will (K)dwell in them and (L)walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 “(M)Therefore, (N)come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.
18 “(O)And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be (P)sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.
Paul Reveals His Heart
7 Therefore, having these promises, (Q)beloved, (R)let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 (S)Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. 3 I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said (T)before that you are (U)in our hearts to die together and to live together. 4 Great is my (V)confidence [d]in you; great is my (W)boasting on your behalf. I am filled with (X)comfort; I am overflowing with (Y)joy in all our affliction.
5 For even when we came into (Z)Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were (AA)afflicted on every side: (AB)conflicts without, fears within. 6 But (AC)God, who comforts the [e]depressed, (AD)comforted us by the coming of (AE)Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.
God the King of the Earth.
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
47 O (A)clap your hands, all peoples;
(B)Shout to God with the voice of [a]joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is to be (C)feared,
A (D)great King over all the earth.
3 He (E)subdues peoples under us
And nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our (F)inheritance for us,
The (G)glory of Jacob whom He loves. [b]Selah.
5 God has (H)ascended [c]with a shout,
The Lord, [d]with the (I)sound of a trumpet.
6 (J)Sing praises to God, sing praises;
Sing praises to (K)our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the (L)King of all the earth;
Sing praises (M)with a [e]skillful psalm.
8 God (N)reigns over the nations,
God [f]sits on (O)His holy throne.
9 The [g](P)princes of the people have assembled themselves as the (Q)people of the God of Abraham,
For the (R)shields of the earth belong to God;
He [h]is (S)highly exalted.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.