The Daily Audio Bible

Better Not to Have Been Born

4 Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have ⌞all⌟ the power. No one can comfort those who suffer. ² I congratulate the dead, who have already died, rather than the living, who still have to carry on. ³ But the person who hasn’t been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn’t seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Hard Work Versus Laziness

⁴ Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind. ⁵ A fool folds his hands and wastes away. ⁶ One handful of peace and quiet is better than two handfuls of hard work and of trying to catch the wind.

Those Who Are All Alone

⁷ Next, I turned to look at something pointless under the sun: ⁸ There are people who are all alone. They have no children or other family members. So there is no end to all the hard work they have to do. Their eyes are never satisfied with riches. But ⌞they never ask themselves⌟ why they are working so hard and depriving themselves of good things. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

Two Are Better Than One

⁹ Two people are better than one because ⌞together⌟ they have a good reward for their hard work. ¹⁰ If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is ⌞all⌟ alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up. ¹¹ Again, if two people lie down together, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm? ¹² Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken.

Rulers and Fickle Citizens

¹³ A young man who is poor and wise is better than an old, foolish king who won’t take advice any longer.

¹⁴ A young man came out of prison to rule as king, even though he had been born in poverty in that same kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw all living people moving about under the sun. They sided with the second young man, the king’s successor. ¹⁶ There was no end to all those people, everyone whom he led.^[a] But those who will come later will not be happy with the successor. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

Don’t Daydream or Speak Carelessly When You Worship

5 ^[b]Watch your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are unaware that they are doing ⌞something⌟ evil.

² Don’t be in a hurry to talk. Don’t be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words.

³ Daydreaming comes when there are too many worries.

Careless speaking comes when there are too many words.

⁴ When you make a promise to God, don’t be slow to keep it because God doesn’t like fools. Keep your promise. ⁵ It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not keep it. ⁶ Don’t let your mouth talk you into committing a sin. Don’t say in the presence of a ⌞temple⌟ messenger, “My promise was a mistake!” Why should God become angry at your excuse and destroy what you’ve accomplished?

⁷ In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, you should still fear God.

Corrupt Officials Have Corrupt Officials over Them

⁸ Don’t be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them. ⁹ Yet, a king is an advantage for a country with cultivated fields.

The Value of Money

¹⁰ Whoever loves money will never be satisfied with money. Whoever loves wealth will never be satisfied with more income. Even this is pointless. ¹¹ As the number of goods increase, so do the number of people who consume them. What do owners gain ⌞from all their goods⌟ except ⌞the opportunity⌟ to look at them?

¹² The sleep of working people is sweet, whether they eat a little or a lot. But the full stomachs that rich people have will not allow them to sleep.

Economic Ruin

¹³ There is a painful tragedy that I have seen under the sun: Riches lead to the downfall of those who hoard them. ¹⁴ These hoarded riches were then lost in bad business deals. The owners had children, but now they have nothing to give them. ¹⁵ They came from their mother’s womb naked. They will leave as naked as they came. They won’t even be able to take a handful of their earnings with them from all their hard work.

¹⁶ This also is a painful tragedy: They leave exactly as they came. What advantage do they gain from working so hard for the wind? ¹⁷ They spend their entire lives in darkness, in constant frustration, sickness, and resentment.

Conclusion: God Alone Gives Contentment

¹⁸ At last I have seen what is good and beautiful: It is to eat and drink and to enjoy the good in all our hard work under the sun during the brief lives God gives us. That is our lot ⌞in life⌟. ¹⁹ It is a gift from God when God gives some people wealth and possessions, the power to enjoy them, ⌞the ability⌟ to accept their lot in life, and ⌞the ability⌟ to rejoice in their own hard work. ²⁰ These people won’t give much thought to their brief lives because God keeps them occupied with the joy in their hearts.

The Rich Person and the Stillborn Baby

6 There is a tragedy that I have seen under the sun. It is a terrible one for mortals. ² God gives one person riches, wealth, and honor so that he doesn’t lack anything he wants. Yet, God doesn’t give him the power to enjoy any of them. Instead, a stranger enjoys them. This is pointless and is a painful tragedy.

³ Suppose a rich person wasn’t satisfied with good things ⌞while he was alive⌟ and didn’t even get an honorable burial ⌞after he died⌟. Suppose he had a hundred children and lived for many years. No matter how long he would have lived, it ⌞still⌟ would have been better for him to have been born dead. ⁴ A stillborn baby arrives in a pointless birth and goes out into the darkness. The darkness then hides its name. ⁵ Though it has never seen the sun or known anything, the baby finds more rest than the rich person. ⁶ Even if the rich person lives two thousand years without experiencing anything good—don’t we all go to the same place?

More Pointless Challenges

⁷ Everything that people work so hard for goes into their mouths, but their appetite is never satisfied.

⁸ What advantage does a wise person have over a fool? What advantage does a poor person have in knowing how to face life?

⁹ It is better to look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

¹⁰ Whatever has happened ⌞in the past⌟ already has a name. Mortals are already known for what they are. Mortals cannot argue with the one who is stronger than they.

¹¹ The more words there are, the more pointless they become. What advantage do mortals gain from this? ¹² Who knows what may be good for mortals while they are alive, during the brief, pointless days they live? Mortals pass by like a shadow. Who will tell them about their future under the sun?

Christians and Their Relationships with Unbelievers

¹⁴ Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness? ¹⁵ Can Christ agree with the devil? Can a believer share life with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ Can God’s temple contain false gods? Clearly, we are the temple of the living God. As God said,

7 Since we have these promises, dear friends, we need to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit and live a holy life in the fear of God.

Paul Was Comforted by What the Corinthians Did

² Open your hearts to us. We haven’t treated anyone unjustly, ruined anyone, or cheated anyone. ³ I’m not saying this to condemn you. I’ve already told you that you are in our hearts so that we will live and die together. ⁴ I have great confidence in you, and I have a lot of reasons to be proud of you. Even as we suffer, I’m encouraged and feel very happy.

⁵ Ever since we arrived in the province of Macedonia, we’ve had no rest. Instead, we suffer in a number of ways. Outwardly we have conflicts, and inwardly we have fears. ⁶ Yet God, who comforts those who are dejected, comforted us when Titus arrived. ⁷ We were comforted not only by his arrival but also by learning about the comfort he had received while he was with you. He told us how you wanted to see me, how sorry you are for what you’ve done, and how concerned you are about me. This made me even happier.

For the choir director; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.