Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
(A song by Solomon for worship.)
Only the Lord Can Bless a Home
1 Without the help of the Lord
it is useless to build a home
or to guard a city.
2 It is useless to get up early
and stay up late
in order to earn a living.
God takes care of his own,
even while they sleep.[a]
3 Children are a blessing
and a gift from the Lord.
4 Having a lot of children
to take care of you
in your old age
is like a warrior
with a lot of arrows.
5 The more you have,
the better off you will be,
because they will protect you
when your enemies
attack you in court.
It Is Senseless To Be Selfish
2 I said to myself, “Have fun and enjoy yourself!” But this didn't make sense. 2 Laughing and having fun is crazy. What good does it do? 3 I wanted to find out what was best for us during the short time we have on this earth. So I decided to make myself happy with wine and find out what it means to be foolish, without really being foolish myself.
4 (A) I did some great things. I built houses and planted vineyards. 5 I had flower gardens and orchards full of fruit trees. 6 And I had pools where I could get water for the trees. 7 (B) I owned slaves, and their sons and daughters became my slaves. I had more sheep and goats than anyone who had ever lived in Jerusalem. 8 (C) Foreign rulers brought me silver, gold, and precious treasures. Men and women sang for me, and I had many wives[a] who gave me great pleasure.
9 (D) I was the most famous person who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and I was very wise. 10 I got whatever I wanted and did whatever made me happy. But most of all, I enjoyed my work. 11 Then I thought about everything I had done, including the hard work, and it was simply chasing the wind.[b] Nothing on earth is worth the trouble.
Wisdom Comes from God
12 I asked myself, “What can the next king do that I haven't done?” Then I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and stupidity. 13 And I discovered that wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. 14 Wisdom is like having two good eyes; foolishness leaves you in the dark. But wise or foolish, we all end up the same.
15 Finally, I said to myself, “Being wise got me nowhere! The same thing will happen to me that happens to fools. Nothing makes sense. 16 Wise or foolish, we all die and are soon forgotten.” 17 This made me hate life. Everything we do is painful; it's just as senseless as chasing the wind.[c]
Some Rules for Christian Living
18 (A) A wife must put her husband first. This is her duty as a follower of the Lord.
19 (B) A husband must love his wife and not abuse her.
20 (C) Children must always obey their parents. This pleases the Lord.
21 (D) Parents, don't be hard on your children. If you are, they might give up.
22 (E) Slaves, you must always obey your earthly masters. Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. Honor the Lord and serve your masters with your whole heart. 23 Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master. 24 In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving, and you know he will reward you. 25 (F) But Christ has no favorites! He will punish evil people, just as they deserve.
4 (G) Slave owners, be fair and honest with your slaves. Don't forget that you have a Master in heaven.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.