Fear 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 1 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 you2 into sin, and do not say before the messenger3 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;4 but5 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.6
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 enjoyment7 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 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and btaught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in cadultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now din the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 eThis they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, f“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on gsin no more.”]]
I Am the Light of the World
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, h“I am the ilight of the world. Whoever follows me will not jwalk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are kbearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for lI know where I came from and mwhere I am going, but nyou do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge oaccording to the flesh; pI judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, qmy judgment is true, for it is rnot I alone who judge, but I and the Father1 who sent me. 17 sIn your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who tbears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me ubears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me vnor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one warrested him, because xhis hour had not yet come.
