¹⁵ In my ^(A)vain^[a] life I have seen everything. There is ^(B)a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who ^(C)prolongs his life in his evildoing.

¹² Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and ^(A)prolongs his life, yet I know that ^(B)it will be well with ^(C)those who fear God, because they fear before him. ¹³ But it will ^(D)not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like ^(E)a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Man Cannot Know God's Ways

¹⁴ There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people ^(F)to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people ^(G)to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

¹² For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his ^(A)vain^[a] life, which he passes like ^(B)a shadow? For who can tell man what will be ^(C)after him under the sun?

^34 (A)Therefore ^(B)I send you ^(C)prophets and wise men and ^(D)scribes, ^(E)some of whom you will kill and crucify, and ^(F)some you will ^(G)flog in your synagogues and ^(H)persecute from town to town, ³⁵ so that on you may come all ^(I)the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous ^(J)Abel to the blood of ^(K)Zechariah the son of Barachiah,^[a] whom you murdered between ^(L)the sanctuary and ^(M)the altar.

^52 (A)Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of ^(B)the Righteous One, ^(C)whom you have now betrayed and murdered,

^2 (A)They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, ^(B)the hour is coming when ^(C)whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

Jeremiah's Complaint

⁹ Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your ^(A)vain^[a] life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your ^(B)portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.