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Ecclesiastes 4

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

 ² And I declared that the dead,
       who had already died,
       are happier than the living,
       who are still alive.

 ³ But better than both
       is he who has not yet been,
       who has not seen the evil
       that is done under the sun.

 ⁴ And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

 ⁵ The fool folds his hands
       and ruins himself.

 ⁶ Better one handful with tranquillity
       than two handfuls with toil
       and chasing after the wind.

 ⁷ Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

 ⁸ There was a man all alone;
       he had neither son nor brother.
       There was no end to his toil,
       yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
       "For whom am I toiling," he asked,
       "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"
       This too is meaningless—
       a miserable business!

 ⁹ Two are better than one,
       because they have a good return for their work:

 ¹⁰ If one falls down,
       his friend can help him up.
       But pity the man who falls
       and has no one to help him up!

 ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
       But how can one keep warm alone?

 ¹² Though one may be overpowered,
       two can defend themselves.
       A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 5

Stand in Awe of God

 ² Do not be quick with your mouth,
       do not be hasty in your heart
       to utter anything before God.
       God is in heaven
       and you are on earth,
       so let your words be few.

 ³ As a dream comes when there are many cares,
       so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

 ⁴ When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. ⁵ It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. ⁶ Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.

Riches Are Meaningless

 ¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has money enough;
       whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
       This too is meaningless.

 ¹¹ As goods increase,
       so do those who consume them.
       And what benefit are they to the owner
       except to feast his eyes on them?

 ¹² The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
       whether he eats little or much,
       but the abundance of a rich man
       permits him no sleep.

 ¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
       wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,

 ¹⁴ or wealth lost through some misfortune,
       so that when he has a son
       there is nothing left for him.

 ¹⁵ Naked a man comes from his mother's womb,
       and as he comes, so he departs.
       He takes nothing from his labor
       that he can carry in his hand.

 ¹⁶ This too is a grievous evil:
       As a man comes, so he departs,
       and what does he gain,
       since he toils for the wind?

 ¹⁷ All his days he eats in darkness,
       with great frustration, affliction and anger.

 ¹⁸ Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. ¹⁹ Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. ²⁰ He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

Ecclesiastes 6

 ¹ I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: ² God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.

 ³ A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. ⁴ It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. ⁵ Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man- ⁶ even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

 ⁷ All man's efforts are for his mouth,
       yet his appetite is never satisfied.

 ⁸ What advantage has a wise man
       over a fool?
       What does a poor man gain
       by knowing how to conduct himself before others?

 ⁹ Better what the eye sees
       than the roving of the appetite.
       This too is meaningless,
       a chasing after the wind.

 ¹⁰ Whatever exists has already been named,
       and what man is has been known;
       no man can contend
       with one who is stronger than he.

 ¹¹ The more the words,
       the less the meaning,
       and how does that profit anyone?

 ¹² For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?

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2 Corinthians 12

Paul's Vision and His Thorn

 ⁷To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul's Concern for the Corinthians

 ¹⁴Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? ¹⁶Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you? ¹⁸I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?

 ¹⁹Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. ²⁰For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. ²¹I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.