Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

God Is Good to His People

127 Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders work for nothing. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the men who watch over it stay awake for nothing. ² You rise up early, and go to bed late, and work hard for your food, all for nothing. For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.

³ See, children are a gift from the Lord. The children born to us are our special reward. ⁴ The children of a young man are like arrows in the hand of a soldier. ⁵ Happy is the man who has many of them. They will not be put to shame when they speak in the gate with those who hate them.

Fun Is of No Worth

2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with things that are fun. So have a good time.” But see, this also was for nothing. ² I said of laughing, “It is crazy,” and of fun, “What use is it?” ³ I tried to find in my mind how to make my body happy with wine, yet at the same time having my mind lead me with wisdom. I tried to find how to take hold of what is foolish, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven during the few years of their lives. ⁴ I did great things. I built houses for myself. I planted grape-fields for myself. ⁵ I made gardens and beautiful places for myself, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. ⁶ I made pools of water for myself from which to water many new trees. ⁷ I bought men and women servants, and had other servants who were born in my house. I had more flocks and cattle than anyone before me in Jerusalem. ⁸ I gathered for myself silver and gold and the riches of kings and lands. I got for myself male and female singers, and kept many women who acted as my wives, the joy of man. ⁹ Then I became great, greater than all who lived before me in Jerusalem. And my wisdom stayed with me. ¹⁰ Whatever my eyes wanted I did not keep away from them. I did not keep my heart from anything that was pleasing, for my heart was pleased with all my work. This was my reward for all my work. ¹¹ Then I thought about all that my hands had done, and the work I had done. I saw that it was all for nothing. It was like trying to catch the wind, and there was nothing to get for it under the sun.

The End of the Wise Man or Fool

¹² So I turned to think about wisdom and what is crazy and foolish. For what can the man do who comes after the king, except what has already been done? ¹³ And I saw that wisdom is better than what is foolish, as light is better than darkness. ¹⁴ The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I know that one thing will happen to both of them. ¹⁵ Then I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” So I said to myself, “This also is for nothing.” ¹⁶ For the wise man will not be remembered forever any more than the fool. All will be forgotten in the days to come. The wise man dies just like the fool! ¹⁷ So I hated life. For the work which had been done under the sun brought sorrow to me. Because everything is for nothing and is like trying to catch the wind.

How Families Should Live

¹⁸ Wives, obey your husbands. This is what the Lord wants you to do. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives. Do not hold hard feelings against them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything. The Lord is pleased when you do. ²¹ Fathers, do not be so hard on your children that they will give up trying to do what is right.

²² You who are servants who are owned by someone, obey your owners. Work hard for them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Work for them as you would for the Lord because you honor God. ²³ Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart. Do it for the Lord and not for men. ²⁴ Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ. ²⁵ If anyone does wrong, he will suffer for it. God does not respect one person more than another.

4 Owners, give your servants what is right. Do the same for all. Remember that your Owner is in heaven.