Category: Scripture

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people will come to help you spend it. so what good is wealth-except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!

People who work hard and sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep. (vv. 10-12, NLT)

Even so, I have noticed one thing, a least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God gives them. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life-this is indeed a gift from God. God keep such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past. (vv. 18-20, NLT)

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, Go is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

To much activity give you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.

When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God take no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to Him. Is is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don’t make your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and He might wipe out everything you have achieved.

Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.
(vv. 1-7, NLT)

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help . But if someone falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one get warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. There are even better for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (vv. 9-12, NLT)

What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear Him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God make the same things happen over and over again. (vv. 9-15, NLT)

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time for plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a tie to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
(vv. 1-8 NLT)

I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.

Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts, to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.

So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from Him? God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please Him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please Him. This, too, is meaningless-like chasing the wind. (vv. 18-26, NLT)

I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life. But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure.” After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness during their brief time in this world.

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them all with all kinds of fruit trees. I build reservoirs to collect water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. (vv. 1-6, NLT)

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. Bur as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, It was all so meaningless-like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. (vv. 9-11, NLT0

These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem.

“Everything is meaningless,” sys the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”

What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises, and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south, then turns north. Around nd around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. The water returns again to the rivers ad flows out again to the sea. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

History merely repeats itself. It has been all done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one wil remember what we are doing now. (vv. 1-11, NLT)

The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.

I am weary, O god, I am weary and worn out, O God. I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. I have noted mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.

Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back and down? Who holds the wind in His fists? Who wraps up the oceans in His cloak Who has created the whole world? What is His name-and His sons name? Tell me if you know!

Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection. Do not add to His words, or He may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. (vv. 1-6, NLT)

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. (vv. -12, NLT)

Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad. When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. (vv. 17, NLT)

An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin. Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor. If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but dare not testify. Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting in the Lord means safety. Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord. The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly. (vv. 22-27, NLT)