Ecclesiastes 6

Chapter 6

1 There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity.

2 God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy.
3 A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him to be born dead.4 His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended in darkness. He wouldn’t even have had a name,5 and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man.

6 He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use?
7 All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough.

8 So are wise people really better off than fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others?

9 Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

The Future—Determined and Unknown

10 Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.

11 The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?

12 In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?

Ecclesiastes 7

Chapter 7

Wisdom for Life

1 A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
And the day you die is better than the day you are born.2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies—
so the living should take this to heart.3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for sadness has a refining influence on us.4 A wise person thinks a lot about death,
while a fool thinks only about having a good time.5 Better to be criticized by a wise person
than to be praised by a fool.6 A fool’s laughter is quickly gone,
like thorns crackling in a fire.
This also is meaningless.7 Extortion turns wise people into fools,
and bribes corrupt the heart.8 Finishing is better than starting.
Patience is better than pride.9 Control your temper,
for anger labels you a fool.10 Don’t long for “the good old days.”
This is not wise.11 Wisdom is even better when you have money.
Both are a benefit as you go through life.12 Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,
but only wisdom can save your life.13 Accept the way God does things,
for who can straighten what he has made crooked?14 Enjoy prosperity while you can,
but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.
Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

The Limits of Human Wisdom

15 I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people.16 So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?17 On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time?

18 Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.t

19 One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!

20 Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
21 Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you.

22 For you know how often you yourself have cursed others.
23 I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work.24 Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find.

25 I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.

26 I discovered that a seductive womant is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.
27 “This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle.28 Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman!

29 But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”

Ecclesiastes 8

Chapter 8

1 How wonderful to be wise,
to analyze and interpret things.
Wisdom lights up a person’s face,
softening its harshness.

Obedience to the King

2 Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would.3 Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants.4 His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it.5 Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right,

6 for there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble.
7 Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen?

8 None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.

The Wicked and the Righteous

9 I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other.10 I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praisedt in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless.11 When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.12 But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.

13 The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows.

14 And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!

15 So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.
16 In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night.

17 I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim.