Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Ecclesiastes, chapters 1 through 4. Chapter 1.
The words of the preacher, the son of David,
king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, says the
preacher. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
What prophet has a man from all his labor in
which he toils under the sun? One generation
passes away and another generation comes, but
the earth abides forever. The sun also rises
and the sun goes down and hastens to the place
where it arose. The wind goes toward the south
and turns around to the north. The wind whirls
about continually and comes again on its circuit.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea
is not full. To the place from which the rivers
come, there they return again. All things are
full of labor, man cannot express it. The eye
is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled
with hearing. That which has been is what will
be. That which is done is what will be done.
And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there
anything of which it may be said, See, this is
new? It has already been in ancient times before
us. There is no remembrance of former things,
nor will there be any remembrance of things that
are to come by those who will come after. I,
the preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
And I set my heart to seek and search out by
wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven.
This burdensome task God has given to the sons
of man, by which they may be exercised. I have
seen all the works that are done under the sun,
and indeed all is vanity and grasping for the
wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be numbered. I communed
with my heart, saying, Look, I have attained
greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all
who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has
understood great wisdom and knowledge, and I
set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness
and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping
for the wind, for in much wisdom is much grief,
and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Chapter 2 I said in my heart, Come now, I will
test you with mirth. therefore enjoy pleasure
but surely this also is vanity i said of laughter
madness and of mirth what does it accomplish
i searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh
with wine while guiding my heart with wisdom
and how to lay hold on folly till i might see
what was good for the sons of men to do under
heaven all the days of their lives I made my
works great. I built myself houses and planted
myself vineyards. I made myself gardens and orchards,
and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
I made myself water pools from which to water
the growing trees of the grove. I acquired male
and female servants and had servants born in
my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds
and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before
me. I also gathered for myself silver and gold
and special treasures of kings and of the provinces.
I acquired male and female singers, the delights
of the sons of men, and musical instruments of
all kinds. So I became great and excelled more
than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also
my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes
desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold
my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced
in all my labor, and this was my reward from
all my labor. Then I looked on all the works
that my hands had done, and on the labor in which
I had toiled. And indeed all was vanity and grasping
for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.
Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness
and folly. For what can the man do who succeeds
the king? Only what he has already done. Then
I saw that wisdom excels folly, as light excels
darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head,
but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself
perceived that the same event happens to them
all. So I said in my heart, As it happens to
the fool, it also happens to me. And why was
I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, This
also is vanity, for there is no more remembrance
of the wise than of the fool forever, since all
that now is will be forgotten in the days to
come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool.
Therefore I hated life, because the work that
was done under the sun was distressing me, for
all is vanity and grasping for the wind. Then
I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under
the sun, because I must leave it to the man who
will come after me. And who knows whether he
will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over
all my labor in which I toiled, and in which
I have shown myself wise under the sun. This
also is vanity. Therefore I turned my heart and
despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled
under the sun. For there is a man whose labor
is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. yet he
must leave his heritage to a man who has not
labored for it this also is vanity and a great
evil for what has man for all his labor and for
the striving of his heart with which he has toiled
under the sun for all his days are sorrowful
and his work burdensome even in the night his
heart takes no rest this also is vanity nothing
is better for a man than that he should eat and
drink and that his soul should enjoy good in
his labor This also I saw was from the hand of
God, for who can eat or who can have enjoyment
more than I? For God gives wisdom and knowledge
and joy to a man who is good in his sight. But
to the sinner he gives the work of gathering
and collecting, that he may give to him who is
good before God. This also is vanity and grasping
for the wind. Chapter 3 To everything there is
a season, a time for every purpose under heaven,
a time to be born and a time to die. A time to
plant and a time to pluck what is planted. A
time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break
down and a time to build up. A time to weep and
a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to
dance. A time to cast away stones and a time
to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time
to refrain from embracing. A time to gain and
a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to
throw away. A time to tear and a time to sew.
A time to keep silence and a time to speak. A
time to love and a time to hate. A time of war
and a time of peace. What prophet has the worker
from that in which he labors? I have seen the
God -given task with which the sons of men are
to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful
in its time. Also he has put eternity in their
hearts, except that no one can find out the work
that God does from beginning to end. I know that
nothing is better for them than to rejoice and
to do good in their lives, and also that every
man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of
all his labor. It is the gift of God. I know
that whatever God does, it shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken
from it. God does it that men should fear before
him. That which is has already been, and what
is to be has already been. And God requires an
account of what is past. Moreover, I saw under
the sun, in a place of judgment, wickedness was
there, and in a place of righteousness, iniquity
was there. I said in my heart, God shall judge
the righteous and the wicked, for there is a
time there for every purpose and for every work.
I said in my heart, concerning the condition
of the sons of men, God tests them, that they
may see that they themselves are like animals.
For what happens to the sons of men also happens
to animals. One thing befalls them, As one dies,
so dies the other. Surely they all have one breath.
Man has no advantage over animals, for all is
vanity. All go to one place, all are from the
dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit
of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the
spirit of the animal, which goes down to the
earth? So I perceive that nothing is better than
that a man should rejoice in his own works, for
that is his heritage. For who can bring him to
see what will happen? After him. Chapter 4 Then
I returned and considered all the oppression
that is done under the sun. And look, the tears
of the oppressed, but they have no comforter.
On the side of their oppressors there is power,
but they have no comforter. Therefore I praise
the dead who were already dead, more than the
living who are still alive. Yet better than both
is he who has never existed, who has not seen
the evil work that is done under the sun. Again
I saw that for all toil and every skillful work
a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is
vanity and grasping for the wind. The fool folds
his hands and consumes his own flesh. Better
a handful with quietness than both hands full
together with toil and grasping for the wind.
Then I returned and I saw vanity under the sun.
There is one alone without companion. He has
neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end
to all his labors. Nor is his eye satisfied with
riches, but he never asks, For whom do I toil
and deprive myself of good? This also is vanity
and a grave misfortune. Two are better than one,
because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for
he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie
down together, they will keep warm. But how can
one be warm alone? though one may be overpowered
by another two can withstand him and a threefold
cord is not quickly broken better a poor and
wise youth than an old and foolish king who will
be admonished no more for he comes out of prison
to be king although he was born poor in his kingdom
i saw all the living who walk under the sun they
were with the second youth who stands in his
place there was no end of all the people over
whom he was made king Yet those who come afterward
will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is
vanity and grasping for the wind. I hope you
enjoyed today's reading as much as I did, and
I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow to
continue on our journey. God bless you and have
a great day.