Category Archives: Ecclesiastes

Life Is Useless 1 These are the words of the Philosopher, David’s son, who was king in Jerusalem. 2 It is useless, useless, said the Philosopher. Life is useless, all useless. 3 You spend your life working, laboring, and what do you have to show for it? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the […]

1 I decided to enjoy myself and find out what happiness is. But I found that this is useless, too. 2 I discovered that laughter is foolish, that pleasure does you no good. 3 Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I […]

A Time for Everything 1 Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. 2 He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up, 3 the time for killing and the time for healing, the time for tearing down and […]

1 Then I looked again at all the injustice that goes on in this world. The oppressed were crying, and no one would help them. No one would help them, because their oppressors had power on their side. 2 I envy those who are dead and gone; they are better off than those who are […]

Don’t Make Rash Promises 1 Be careful about going to the Temple. It is better to go there to learn than to offer sacrifices like foolish people who don’t know right from wrong. 2 Think before you speak, and don’t make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, […]

1 I have noticed that in this world a serious injustice is done. 2 God will give us wealth, honor, and property, yes, everything we want, but then will not let us enjoy it. Some stranger will enjoy it instead. It is useless, and it just isn’t right. 3 We may have a hundred children […]

Thoughts about Life 1 A good reputation is better than expensive perfume; and the day you die is better than the day you are born. 2 It is better to go to a home where there is mourning than to one where there is a party, because the living should always remind themselves that death […]

1 Only the wise know what things really mean. Wisdom makes them smile and makes their frowns disappear. Obey the King 2 Do what the king says,and don’t make any rash promises to God. 3 The king can do anything he likes, so depart from his presence; don’t stay in such a dangerous place. 4 […]

1 I thought long and hard about all this and saw that God controls the actions of wise and righteous people, even their love and their hate. No one knows anything about what lies ahead. 2 It makes no difference.The same fate comes to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the bad,to […]

1 Dead flies can make a whole bottle of perfume stink, and a little stupidity can cancel out the greatest wisdom. 2 It is natural for the wise to do the right thing and for fools to do the wrong thing. 3 Their stupidity will be evident even to strangers they meet along the way; […]