Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Unless Yahweh Builds the House
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
127 Unless Yahweh (A)builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless Yahweh (B)watches the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early,
That you sit out late,
O you who (C)eat the bread of [a]painful labors;
For in this manner, He gives (D)sleep to His (E)beloved.
3 Behold, (F)children are [b]an inheritance of Yahweh,
The (G)fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a (H)warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 How (I)blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them;
(J)They will not be ashamed
When they (K)speak with enemies (L)in the gate.
The Vanity of Pleasure and Possessions
2 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with (A)gladness, so that you shall see good things.” And behold, it too was vanity. 2 (B)I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of gladness, “What does it do?” 3 I explored with my heart how to [a](C)stimulate my [b]body with wine—while my heart was guiding me wisely—and how to seize (D)simpleminded folly, until I could see (E)where is this good for the sons of men in what they do under heaven the few days of their lives. 4 I made my works great: I (F)built houses for myself; I planted (G)vineyards for myself; 5 I made for myself (H)gardens and (I)parks, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made for myself (J)pools of water from which to water a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and I had [c](K)homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and (L)herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and (M)gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself (N)male and female singers and the pleasures of the sons of men—many concubines.
9 Then I became (O)great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 (P)All that my eyes asked for I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any gladness, for my heart was glad because of all my labor, and this was my (Q)reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I turned to all my works which my hands had done and the labor which I had labored to do, and behold, all was [d](R)vanity and striving after wind, and there was (S)no advantage under the sun.
Wisdom Excels Folly
12 So I turned to (T)see wisdom, madness, and simpleminded folly. What will the man do who will come after the king except (U)what has already been done? 13 And I saw that there is an advantage in (V)wisdom over simpleminded folly as light has an advantage over darkness. 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the (W)fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that the (X)fate of one becomes the fate of all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, “(Y)As is the fate of the fool, so will my fate be also. (Z)Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said in my heart, “This too is vanity.” 16 For there is (AA)no remembrance of the wise man along with the fool forever, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And (AB)how the wise man dies with the fool! 17 So I (AC)hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was [e]grievous to me; because everything is vanity and striving after wind.
Family and Work
18 (A)Wives, (B)be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 (C)Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 (D)Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing [a]to the Lord. 21 (E)Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
22 (F)Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters [b]according to the flesh, (G)not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with [c]integrity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work [d]heartily, (H)as for the Lord [e]rather than for men, 24 (I)knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward [f]of (J)the inheritance. [g](K)Serve the Lord Christ. 25 For (L)he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and [h](M)that without partiality.
Final Instructions and Greetings
4 Masters, show to your slaves what is right and fair, (N)knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
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