Ecclesiastes 9–12
9:1But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. 2It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.
7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
8Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
11Again 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 riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. 12For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
13I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. 15But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.
17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
10:1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.2A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,but a fool’s heart to the left.3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,and he says to everyone that he is a fool.4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8He who digs a pit will fall into it,and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.9He who quarries stones is hurt by them,and he who splits logs is endangered by them.10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,he must use more strength,but wisdom helps one to succeed.11If the serpent bites before it is charmed,there is no advantage to the charmer. 12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,but the lips of a fool consume him.13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,and the end of his talk is evil madness.14A fool multiplies words,though no man knows what is to be,and who can tell him what will be after him?15The toil of a fool wearies him,for he does not know the way to the city. 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,and your princes feast in the morning!17Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,and your princes feast at the proper time,for strength, and not for drunkenness!18Through sloth the roof sinks in,and through indolence the house leaks.19Bread is made for laughter,and wine gladdens life,and money answers everything.20Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,nor in your bedroom curse the rich,for a bird of the air will carry your voice,or some winged creature tell the matter.
11:1Cast your bread upon the waters,for you will find it after many days.2Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.3If the clouds are full of rain,they empty themselves on the earth,and if a tree falls to the south or to the north,in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.4He who observes the wind will not sow,and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
5As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
6In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
7Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
8So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.
9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
12:1Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low—5they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—6before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
9Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. 12My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
John 12:1–11
12:1Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
9When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
Psalm 76
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
76:1In Judah God is known;his name is great in Israel.2His abode has been established in Salem,his dwelling place in Zion.3There he broke the flashing arrows,the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah 4Glorious are you, more majesticthan the mountains full of prey.5The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;they sank into sleep;all the men of warwere unable to use their hands.6At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,both rider and horse lay stunned. 7But you, you are to be feared!Who can stand before youwhen once your anger is roused?8From the heavens you uttered judgment;the earth feared and was still,9when God arose to establish judgment,to save all the humble of the earth. Selah 10Surely the wrath of man shall praise you;the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.11Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them;let all around him bring giftsto him who is to be feared,12who cuts off the spirit of princes,who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.
Proverbs 30:15–17
15The leech has two daughters:Give and Give.Three things are never satisfied;four never say, “Enough”:16Sheol, the barren womb,the land never satisfied with water,and the fire that never says, “Enough.” 17The eye that mocks a fatherand scorns to obey a motherwill be picked out by the ravens of the valleyand eaten by the vultures.
