Ecclesiastes 4-6

New International Version

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression^(A) that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
    and they have no comforter.^(B)
²And I declared that the dead,^(C)
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.^(D)
³But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,^(E)
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.^(F)

⁴And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.^(G)

⁵Fools fold their hands^(H)
    and ruin themselves.
⁶Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil^(I)
    and chasing after the wind.

⁷Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

⁸There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content^(J) 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!

⁹Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹²Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

¹³Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. ¹⁴The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. ¹⁶There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Fulfill Your Vow to God

5 ^[a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

²Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.^(K)
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.^(L)
³A dream^(M) comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool.^(N)

⁴When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.^(O) He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.^(P) ⁵It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.^(Q) ⁶Do 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? ⁷Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.^(R)

Riches Are Meaningless

⁸If you see the poor oppressed^(S) in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. ⁹The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

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

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

¹²The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.^(T)

¹³I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:^(U)

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
¹⁴    or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
    there is nothing left for them to inherit.
¹⁵Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.^(V)
They take nothing from their toil^(W)
    that they can carry in their hands.^(X)

¹⁶This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,
    and what do they gain,
    since they toil for the wind?^(Y)
¹⁷All their days they eat in darkness,
    with great frustration, affliction and anger.

¹⁸This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink^(Z) and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor^(AA) under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. ¹⁹Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions,^(AB) and the ability to enjoy them,^(AC) to accept their lot^(AD) and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.^(AE) ²⁰They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.^(AF)

6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: ²God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,^(AG) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.^(AH)

³A 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^(AI) child is better off than he.^(AJ) ⁴It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. ⁵Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— ⁶even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?^(AK)

⁷Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
    yet their appetite is never satisfied.^(AL)
⁸What advantage have the wise over fools?^(AM)
What do the poor gain
    by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
⁹Better what the eye sees
    than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
    a chasing after the wind.^(AN)

¹⁰Whatever exists has already been named,^(AO)
    and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
    with someone who is stronger.
¹¹The more the words,
    the less the meaning,
    and how does that profit anyone?

¹²For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days^(AP) they pass through like a shadow?^(AQ) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19.

2 Corinthians 10

New International Version

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness^(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,^(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! ²I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold^(C) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.^(D) ³For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.^(E) ⁴The weapons we fight with^(F) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power^(G) to demolish strongholds.^(H) ⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,^(I) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient^(J) to Christ. ⁶And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.^(K)

⁷You are judging by appearances.^[a]^(L) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,^(M) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.^(N) ⁸So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us^(O) for building you up rather than tearing you down,^(P) I will not be ashamed of it. ⁹I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. ¹⁰For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive^(Q) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”^(R) ¹¹Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

¹²We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.^(S) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. ¹³We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,^(T) a sphere that also includes you. ¹⁴We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you^(U) with the gospel of Christ.^(V) ¹⁵Neither do we go beyond our limits^(W) by boasting of work done by others.^(X) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,^(Y) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, ¹⁶so that we can preach the gospel^(Z) in the regions beyond you.^(AA) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. ¹⁷But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[b]^(AB) ¹⁸For it is not the one who commends himself^(AC) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.^(AD)