Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
127 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He giveth His beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies at the gate.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, they have all one breath, so that man hath no preeminence above a beast, for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 Therefore I perceived that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
4 So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: And behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;
3 yea, better than both of them is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 Again, I considered all travail and every right work for which a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh.
6 Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of the spirit.
7 Again I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one who is alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labor. Neither is his eye satisfied with riches; nor saith he, “For whom do I labor and bereave my soul of good?” This is also vanity; yea, it is a sore travail.
2 Continue in prayer and watch therein with thanksgiving,
3 besides praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outsiders, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
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