Ecclesiastes 6

New International Version

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,^(A) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.^(B)

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^(C) child is better off than he.^(D) 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?^(E)

⁷Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
    yet their appetite is never satisfied.^(F)
⁸What advantage have the wise over fools?^(G)
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.^(H)

¹⁰Whatever exists has already been named,^(I)
    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^(J) they pass through like a shadow?^(K) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

Psalm 9:11-20

New International Version

¹¹Sing the praises^(A) of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;^(B)
proclaim among the nations^(C) what he has done.^(D)
¹²For he who avenges blood^(E) remembers;
he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.^(F)

¹³Lord, see how my enemies^(G) persecute me!
    Have mercy^(H) and lift me up from the gates of death,^(I)
¹⁴that I may declare your praises^(J)
    in the gates of Daughter Zion,^(K)
    and there rejoice in your salvation.^(L)

¹⁵The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;^(M)
    their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.^(N)
¹⁶The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
    the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.^[a]^(O)
¹⁷The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,^(P)
    all the nations that forget God.^(Q)
¹⁸But God will never forget the needy;
    the hope^(R) of the afflicted^(S) will never perish.

¹⁹Arise,^(T) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;^(U)
let the nations be judged^(V) in your presence.
²⁰Strike them with terror,^(W) Lord;
let the nations know they are only mortal.^(X)

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Footnotes

Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.

Matthew 3:1-6

New International Version

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)

3 In those days John the Baptist^(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ²and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven^(C) has come near.” ³This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”^[a]^(D)

⁴John’s^(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.^(F) His food was locusts^(G) and wild honey. ⁵People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶Confessing their sins, they were baptized^(H) by him in the Jordan River.