Evil Under the Sun
1 oAgain I saw all the poppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had 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 thought the dead who are already dead qmore fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 rBut 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 vanity1 and a sstriving after wind.
5 The fool tfolds his hands and eats his own flesh.
6 uBetter is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
7 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 veyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an wunhappy 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, 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 a xpoor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. 14 For he went 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 that2 youth who was to stand in the king’s3 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 vanity and a striving after wind.
4Fear God
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. yTo draw near to zlisten is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 5 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 alet your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.
4 bWhen you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you6 into sin, and do not say before the messenger7 that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when dreams increase and cwords grow many, dthere is vanity;8 but9 eGod is the one you must fear.
The Vanity of Wealth and Honor
8 If you see in a province the foppression of the poor and the violation of gjustice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, 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.10
10 He who loves money hwill 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 iThere 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 jAs he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and kshall 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 lgain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to meat and drink and find enjoyment11 in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the nfew days of his life that God has given him, for this is his olot. 19 Everyone also to whom God has given pwealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—qthis is 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.
1 rThere is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives swealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, tbut a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;12 it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is unot satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a vstillborn child is wbetter 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 xseen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy13 no good—ydo not all go to the one place?
7 zAll the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.14 8 For awhat advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the bsight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a cstriving after wind.
10 dWhatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 eThe 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 ffew days of his gvain15 life, which he passes hlike a shadow? For iwho can tell man what will be after him under the sun?
Paul’s Visions and His Thorn
1 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or bout of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into cparadise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a dfool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,1 ea thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the fpower of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, gI am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Concern for the Corinthian Church
11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For hI was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, ieven though I am nothing. 12 jThe signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that kI myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 Here lfor the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For mchildren are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 nI will most gladly spend and be spent ofor your souls. If pI love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of qthose whom I sent to you? 18 rI urged Titus to go, and sent sthe brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been tdefending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your uupbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps when I come vI may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be wquarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.
