Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Song of degrees. Of Solomon.
127 Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to lie down late, to eat the bread of sorrows: so to his beloved one he giveth sleep.
3 Lo, children are an inheritance from Jehovah, [and] the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.
17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.
19 For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place: all are of the dust, and all return to dust.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?
22 And I have seen that there is nothing better than that 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 And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.
2 Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;
3 and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.
7 And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.
2 Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving;
3 praying at the same time for us also, that God may open to us a door of the word to speak the mystery of Christ, on account of which also I am bound,
4 to the end that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom towards those without, redeeming opportunities.
6 [Let] your word [be] always with grace, seasoned with salt, [so as] to know how ye ought to answer each one.
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