Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Life Is Short
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A song of David.
39 I said, “I will be careful how I act.
I will not sin by what I say.
I will be careful what I say
around wicked people.”
2 So I kept very quiet.
I didn’t even say anything good.
But I became even more upset.
3 I became very angry inside.
And the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
So I spoke:
4 “Lord, tell me when the end will come.
How long will I live?
Let me know how long I have.
5 You have given me only a short life.
My lifetime is like nothing to you.
Everyone’s life is only a breath. Selah
6 A person is like a shadow moving about.
All his work is for nothing.
He collects things, but he doesn’t know who will get them.
7 “So, Lord, what hope do I have?
You are my hope.
8 Save me from all my sins.
Don’t let wicked fools make fun of me.
9 I am quiet. I do not open my mouth.
You are the one who has done this.
10 Quit punishing me.
Your beating is about to kill me.
11 You correct and punish people for their sins.
Like a moth, you destroy what they love.
Everyone’s life is only a breath. Selah
12 “Lord, hear my prayer.
Listen to my cry.
Do not ignore my tears.
I am like a visitor with you.
Like my ancestors, I’m only here a short time.
13 Leave me alone so I can be happy.
Soon I will leave and be no more.”
12 “But where can wisdom be found.
Where does understanding live?
13 People do not understand the value of wisdom.
It cannot be found among living people.
14 The deep ocean says, ‘It’s not in me.’
The sea says, ‘It’s not in me.’
15 Wisdom cannot be bought with the best gold.
Its cost cannot be weighed in silver.
16 Wisdom cannot be bought with fine gold.
It cannot be bought with valuable onyx or sapphire gems.
17 Gold and crystal are not as valuable as wisdom.
And you cannot buy it with jewels of gold.
18 Coral and jasper are not even worth talking about.
The price of wisdom is much greater than rubies.
19 The topaz from Cush cannot compare to wisdom.
It cannot even be bought with the purest gold.
20 “So from where does wisdom come?
And where does understanding live?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing.
It is hidden even from the birds of the air.
22 The places of destruction and death say,
‘We have only heard reports about it.’
23 God understands the way to wisdom.
And he is the only one who knows where it lives.
24 This is because God sees to the farthest parts of the earth.
And he sees everything under the heavens.
25 Wisdom began when God gave power to the wind.
It was when he measured the water and put limits on it.
26 It was when God made rules for the rain.
And he set a path for a thunderstorm to follow.
27 Then God looked at wisdom and decided its worth.
He set wisdom up and tested it.
28 Then he said to man,
‘The fear of the Lord is wisdom,
and to stay away from evil is understanding.’”
Job Continues
29 Job continued to speak:
2 “How I wish for the months that have passed.
I wish for the days when God watched over me.
3 I wish for the days when God’s lamp shined on my head.
And I wish for the time I walked through darkness by his light.
4 I wish for the days when I was at my strongest,
when God’s close friendship blessed my house.
5 That was when my children were all around me.
And God All-Powerful was still with me.
6 Life was so good. It was as if my path were covered with cream.
It was as if even the rocks poured out streams of olive oil for me.
7 I would go to the city gate
and sit in the public square.
8 When the young men saw me, they would step out of my way.
And the old men would stand up in respect for me.
9 The leading men stopped speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the important men were quiet.
It was as if each man’s tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.
The Seventh Seal
8 The Lamb opened the seventh seal. Then there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God. They were given seven trumpets.
3 Another angel came and stood at the altar. This angel had a golden pan for incense. The angel was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all God’s holy people. The angel put this offering on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke from the incense went up from the angel’s hand to God. It went up with the prayers of God’s people. 5 Then the angel filled the incense pan with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth. There were flashes of lightning, thunder and loud noises, and an earthquake.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.