Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
127 1 He showeth that the whole estate of the world, both domestical and political, standeth by God’s mere providence and blessing, 3 And that to have children well nurtured, is an especial grace and gift of God.
A song of degrees, or Psalm of Solomon.
1 Except the Lord [a]build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the [b]city, the keeper watcheth in vain.
2 It is in vain for [c]you to rise early, and to lie down late, and eat the bread [d]of sorrow: but he will surely give [e]rest to his beloved.
3 Behold, children are the inheritance of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb his reward.
4 As are the arrows in the hand of the strong man; so are the [f]children of youth.
5 Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them: for they [g]shall not be ashamed, when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
2 Pleasures, sumptuous buildings, riches and possessions are but vanity. 14 The wise and the fool have both one end touching the bodily death.
1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove [a]thee with joy: therefore take thou pleasure in pleasant things: and behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, Thou art mad: and of joy, What is this that thou doest?
3 I sought in mine heart [b]to give myself to wine, and to lead mine heart in [c]wisdom, and to take hold of folly, till I might see where is that goodness of the children of men, which they [d]enjoy under the Sun, the whole number of the days of their life.
4 I have made my great works: I have built me houses: I have planted me vineyards.
5 I have made me gardens and [e]orchards, and planted in them trees of all fruit.
6 I have made me cisterns of water, to water therewith the woods that grow with trees.
7 I have gotten servants and maids, and had children born in the [f]house: also I had great Possession of beeves and sheep above all that were before me in Jerusalem.
8 I have gathered unto me also silver and gold, and the chief treasures of Kings and provinces: I have provided me men singers, and women singers, and the [g]delights of the sons of men, as a woman [h]taken captive, and women taken captives.
9 And I was great, and increased above all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom [i]remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired, I withheld it not from them: I withdrew not mine heart from any joy: for mine heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my [j]portion of all my travail.
11 Then I looked on all my works that mine hands had wrought, and on the travail that I had labored to do: and behold, all is vanity and vexation of the spirit: and there is no profit under the Sun.
12 ¶ And I turned to behold [k]wisdom, and madness, and folly: (for who is the man that [l]will come after the King in things, which men now have done?)
13 Then I saw that there is profit in wisdom more than in folly: as the light is more excellent than darkness.
14 (A)For the wise man’s [m]eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness: yet I know also that the same [n]condition falleth to them all.
15 Then I thought in mine heart, It befalleth unto me, as it befalleth to the fool. Why therefore do I then labor to be more wise? And I said in mine heart, that this also is vanity.
16 For there shall be no remembrance of the wise, nor of the fool [o]forever: for that that now is, in the days to come, shall all be forgotten. And [p]how dieth the wise man, as doth the fool?
17 Therefore I hated life: for the work that is wrought under the Sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity, and vexation of the spirit.
18 ¶ (A)[a]Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as it is [b]comely in the Lord.
19 (B)[c]Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter unto them.
20 ¶ (C)[d]Children, obey your parents in [e]all things: for that is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21 [f]Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22 ¶ (D)[g] Servants, be obedient unto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men,
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the [h]reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 [i]But he that doeth wrong, shall receive for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
4 2 He returneth to general exhortations, 3 touching prayer and gracious speech, 7and so endeth with greetings and commendations.
1 Ye masters, do unto your servants, that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.