Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A song for going up to the Temple.

Friends and Family Give Strength

⁹ Two people are better than one. When two people work together, they get more work done.

¹⁰ If one person falls, the other person can reach out to help. But those who are alone when they fall have no one to help them.

¹¹ If two people sleep together, they will be warm. But a person sleeping alone will not be warm.

¹² An enemy might be able to defeat one person, but two people can stand back-to-back to defend each other. And three people are even stronger. They are like a rope that has three parts wrapped together—it is very hard to break.

People, Politics, and Popularity

¹³ A young leader who is poor but wise is better than a king who is old but foolish. That old king does not listen to warnings. ¹⁴ Maybe the young ruler was born a poor man in the kingdom. And maybe he came from prison to rule the country. ¹⁵ But I have watched people in this life,^[a] and I know this: People will follow that young man. He will become the new king. ¹⁶ Many people will follow this young man. But later, those same people will not like him. This is also senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind.

A Warning to Rich and Selfish People

5 You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because much trouble will come to you. ² Your riches will rot and be worth nothing. Your clothes will be eaten by moths. ³ Your gold and silver will rust, and that rust will be a proof that you were wrong. That rust will eat your bodies like fire. You saved your treasure in the last days. ⁴ People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. They are crying out against you. They harvested your crops. Now the Lord All-Powerful has heard their cries.

⁵ Your life on earth was full of rich living. You pleased yourselves with everything you wanted. You made yourselves fat, like an animal ready for the day of slaughter.^{[a] 6} You showed no mercy to good people. They were not against you, but you killed them.