Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

127 Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the LORD keeps the city, the keeper watches in vain.

² It is in vain for you to rise early, to lie down late, and eat the bread of sorrow; but He will surely give rest to His beloved.

³ Behold, children are the inheritance of the LORD, the fruit of the womb His reward.

⁴ As the arrows in the hand of the strong man are the children of youth.

⁵ Blessed is the man who has his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate. A song of degrees

12 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days have yet to come. Nor have the years approached in which you shall say, “I have no pleasure in them,”

² while the Sun is not dark, nor the light, nor the moon, nor the stars. Nor do the clouds return after the rain,

³ when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders shall cease (because they are few and those who look out by the windows grow dark).

⁴ And the doors shall be shut in the streets by the low sound of the grinding. And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird. And all the daughters of singing shall be brought low.

⁵ Also they shall be afraid of the high thing. And fear shall be on the way. And the almond tree shall flourish. And the grasshopper shall be a burden. And grasshopper shall be driven away. For man goes to his eternal home. And the mourners go about in the street.

⁶ While the silver cord is not lengthened, or the golden bowl broken, or the pitcher broken at the well, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

⁷ And dust returns to the earth as it was. And the spirit returns to God Who gave it.

⁸ “Vanity of vanities,” says the preacher, “All is vanity.”

¹³ Let us hear the end of all: Fear God and keep His Commandments. For this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴ For God will bring every work to judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good or evil.

²² And He spoke to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you take no thought for your life (what you shall eat) or for your body (what you shall wear).

²³ “Life is more than food, and the body than the clothing.

²⁴ “Consider the ravens. For they neither sow nor reap. Nor do they have storehouse or barn. And yet God feeds them. How much better are you than birds?

²⁵ “And who of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

²⁶ “If you then are not able to do the least thing, why do you worry about the rest?

²⁷ “Consider how the lilies grow. They neither labor nor spin. Yet I say to you that Solomon himself, in all his royalty, was not clothed like one of these.

²⁸ “If then God so clothes the grass (which is in the field today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven) how much more will he clothe you? O you of little faith!

²⁹ “Therefore, do not ask what you shall eat or what you shall drink, or have an anxious mind.

³⁰ “For the people of the world all seek for such things. And your Father knows that you need these things.

³¹ “But rather, seek the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.