Evil Under the Sun

4 ^(A)Again I ^(B)saw all ^(C)the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had ^(D)no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. ² And I ^(E)thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. ³ But ^(F)better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

⁴ Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is ^(G)vanity^[a] and a striving after wind.

⁵ The fool ^(H)folds his hands and ^(I)eats his own flesh.

^6 (J)Better is a handful of ^(K)quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

^7 (L)Again, I saw vanity under the sun: ⁸ one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his ^(M)eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, ^(N)“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy ^(O)business.

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, ^(P)but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹³ Better was ^(Q)a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how ^(R)to take advice. ¹⁴ For he went ^(S)from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. ¹⁵ I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that^[b] youth who was to stand in the king's^[c] place. ¹⁶ There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is ^(T)vanity and a striving after wind.

Fear God

5 ^{[d] (U)}Guard your steps when you go to ^(V)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to ^(W)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. ^2 [e] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ^(X)let your words be few. ³ For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with ^(Y)many words.

⁴ When ^(Z)you vow a vow to God, ^(AA)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ^(AB)Pay what you vow. ^5 (AC)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Let not your mouth lead you^[f] into sin, and do not say before ^(AD)the messenger^[g] that it was ^(AE)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;^[h] but^{[i] (AF)}God is the one you must fear.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor

^8 (AG)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, ^(AH)do not be amazed at the matter, ^(AI)for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. ⁹ But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.^[j]

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? ¹² Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

^13 (AJ)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, ¹⁴ and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. ^15 (AK)As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what ^(AL)gain is there to him who ^(AM)toils for the wind? ¹⁷ Moreover, all his days he ^(AN)eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

¹⁸ Behold, what I have seen to be ^(AO)good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment^[k] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his ^(AP)lot. ¹⁹ Everyone also to whom ^(AQ)God has given ^(AR)wealth and possessions ^(AS)and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is ^(AT)the gift of God. ²⁰ For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

6 ^(AU)There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: ² a man ^(AV)to whom ^(AW)God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he ^(AX)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God ^(AY)does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;^[l] it is a grievous evil. ³ If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that ^(AZ)the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's ^(BA)good things, and he also has no ^(BB)burial, I say that ^(BC)a stillborn child is better off than he. ⁴ For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. ⁵ Moreover, it has not ^(BD)seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds ^(BE)rest rather than he. ⁶ Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy^[m] no good—do not all go to the one place?

^7 (BF)All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.^{[n] 8} For what advantage has the wise man ^(BG)over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? ⁹ Better ^(BH)is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is ^(BI)vanity and a striving after wind.

¹⁰ Whatever has come to be has ^(BJ)already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to ^(BK)dispute with one stronger than he. ¹¹ The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? ¹² For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his ^(BL)vain^[o] life, which he passes like ^(BM)a shadow? For who can tell man what will be ^(BN)after him under the sun?

The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, ^(A)my child, ^(B)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and ^(C)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses ^(D)entrust to faithful men,^{[a] (E)}who will be able to teach others also. ^3 (F)Share in suffering as ^(G)a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier ^(H)gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. ^5 (I)An athlete is not ^(J)crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ It is ^(K)the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, ^(L)risen from the dead, the ^(M)offspring of David, ^(N)as preached in my gospel, ^9 (O)for which I am suffering, ^(P)bound with chains as a criminal. But ^(Q)the word of God is not bound! ¹⁰ Therefore ^(R)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain ^(S)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with ^(T)eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is ^(U)trustworthy, for:

for ^(AB)he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and ^(AC)charge them before God^{[b] (AD)}not to quarrel about words, ^(AE)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[c] a worker ^(AF)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(AG)avoid ^(AH)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(AI)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(AJ)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(AK)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(AL)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ Now in ^(AM)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, ^(AN)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, ^(AO)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,^[d] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ^(AP)ready for every good work.

²² So ^(AQ)flee ^(AR)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with ^(AS)those who call on the Lord ^(AT)from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant ^(AU)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And ^(AV)the Lord's servant^[e] must not be quarrelsome but ^(AW)kind to everyone, ^(AX)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(AY)with gentleness. God ^(AZ)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(BA)leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(BB)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.