Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A song from Solomon for going up to the Temple.

Does “Having Fun” Bring Happiness?

2 I said to myself, “I should have fun—I should enjoy everything as much as I can.” But I learned that this is also useless. ² It is foolish to laugh all the time. Having fun does not do any good.

³ So I decided to fill my body with wine while I filled my mind with wisdom. I tried this foolishness because I wanted to find a way to be happy. I wanted to see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.

Does Hard Work Bring Happiness?

⁴ Then I began doing great things. I built houses, and I planted vineyards for myself. ⁵ I planted gardens, and I made parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees. ⁶ I made pools of water for myself, and I used them to water my growing trees. ⁷ I bought men and women slaves, and there were slaves born in my house. I owned many great things. I had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. I owned more things than any other person in Jerusalem did.

⁸ I also gathered silver and gold for myself. I took treasures from kings and their nations. I had men and women singing for me. I had everything any man could want.

⁹ I became very rich and famous. I was greater than anyone who lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom was always there to help me. ¹⁰ Anything my eyes saw and wanted, I got for myself. My mind was pleased with everything I did. And this happiness was the reward for all my hard work.

¹¹ But then I looked at everything I had done and the wealth I had gained. I decided it was all a waste of time! It was like trying to catch the wind.^[a] There is nothing to gain from anything we do in this life.^[b]

Maybe Wisdom Is the Answer

¹² Then I decided to think about what it means to be wise or to be foolish or to do crazy things. And I thought about the one who will be the next king. The new king will do the same as the kings before him.^{[c] 13} I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness in the same way that light is better than darkness. ¹⁴ Wise people use their minds like eyes to see where they are going. But for fools, it is as if they are walking in the dark.

I also saw that fools and wise people both end the same way. ¹⁵ I thought to myself, “The same thing that happens to a fool will also happen to me. So why have I tried so hard to become wise?” I said to myself, “Being wise is also useless.” ¹⁶ Whether people are wise or foolish, they will still die, and no one will remember either one of them forever. In the future, people will forget everything both of them did. So the two are really the same.

Is There Real Happiness in Life?

¹⁷ This made me hate life. It was depressing to think that everything in this life is useless, like trying to catch the wind.

Your New Life at Home

¹⁸ Wives, be willing to serve your husbands. This is the right thing to do in following the Lord.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and be gentle to them.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything. This pleases the Lord.

²¹ Fathers, don’t upset your children. If you are too hard to please, they might want to stop trying.

²² Servants, obey your masters in everything. Obey all the time, even when they can’t see you. Don’t just pretend to work hard so that they will treat you well. No, you must serve your masters honestly because you respect the Lord. ²³ In all the work you are given, do the best you can. Work as though you are working for the Lord, not any earthly master. ²⁴ Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, who will give you what he promised his people. Yes, you are serving Christ. He is your real Master.^{[a] 25} Remember that anyone who does wrong will be punished for that wrong. And the Lord treats everyone the same.

4 Masters, give what is good and fair to your servants. Remember that you have a Master in heaven.