⁵ Save us and help us with your right hand,^(K)
    that those you love^(L) may be delivered.
⁶ God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem^(M)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.^(N)
7 Gilead^(O) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim^(P) is my helmet,
    Judah^(Q) is my scepter.^(R)
8 Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.^(S)”

⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰ Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?^(T)
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.^(U)
12 With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.^(V)

⁴ “I will heal^(L) their waywardness^(M)
    and love them freely,^(N)
    for my anger has turned away^(O) from them.
⁵ I will be like the dew^(P) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.^(Q)
Like a cedar of Lebanon^(R)
    he will send down his roots;^(S)
6     his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,^(T)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.^(U)
7 People will dwell again in his shade;^(V)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom^(W) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine^(X) of Lebanon.^(Y)
8 Ephraim, what more have I^[c] to do with idols?^(Z)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;^(AA)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

⁹ Who is wise?^(AB) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.^(AC)
The ways of the Lord are right;^(AD)
    the righteous walk^(AE) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

³ Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward^(F) from him.
⁴ Like arrows^(G) in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.^(H)
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents^(I) in court.^(J)

12 Remember^(A) your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble^(B) come
    and the years approach when you will say,
    “I find no pleasure in them”—
² before the sun and the light
    and the moon and the stars grow dark,
    and the clouds return after the rain;
³ when the keepers of the house tremble,
    and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
    and those looking through the windows grow dim;
⁴ when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;^(C)
5 when people are afraid of heights
    and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
    and the grasshopper drags itself along
    and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home^(D)
    and mourners^(E) go about the streets.

⁶ Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,
⁷ and the dust returns^(F) to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God^(G) who gave it.^(H)

⁸ “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.^[a](I)
    “Everything is meaningless!^(J)”

¹³ Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God^(A) and keep his commandments,^(B)
    for this is the duty of all mankind.^(C)
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,^(D)
    including every hidden thing,^(E)
    whether it is good or evil.