WEBVTT 00:00:00.919 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.380 in a year. Today's reading is from Ecclesiastes 00:00:09.380 --> 00:00:14.539 chapters 9 through 12. Chapter 9 For I considered 00:00:14.539 --> 00:00:16.980 all this in my heart, so that I could declare 00:00:16.980 --> 00:00:20.059 it all, that the righteous and the wise and their 00:00:20.059 --> 00:00:23.100 works are in the hand of God. People know neither 00:00:23.100 --> 00:00:25.859 love nor hatred by anything they see before them. 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:29.140 All things come alike to all. one event happens 00:00:29.140 --> 00:00:31.859 to the righteous and the wicked to the good the 00:00:31.859 --> 00:00:34.840 clean and the unclean to him who sacrifices and 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:37.939 him who does not sacrifice as is the good so 00:00:37.939 --> 00:00:41.060 is the sinner he who takes an oath as he who 00:00:41.060 --> 00:00:44.500 fears an oath this is an evil in all that is 00:00:44.500 --> 00:00:47.420 done under the sun that one thing happens to 00:00:47.420 --> 00:00:50.320 all truly the hearts of the sons of men are full 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.320 of evil madness is in their hearts while they 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.890 live and after that they go to the dead But for 00:00:56.890 --> 00:00:59.450 him who is joined to all the living, there is 00:00:59.450 --> 00:01:02.130 hope, for a living dog is better than a dead 00:01:02.130 --> 00:01:05.209 lion. For the living know that they will die, 00:01:05.349 --> 00:01:08.650 but the dead know nothing, and they have no more 00:01:08.650 --> 00:01:10.890 reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 00:01:11.469 --> 00:01:14.150 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy 00:01:14.150 --> 00:01:17.030 have now perished. Never more will they have 00:01:17.030 --> 00:01:20.870 a share in anything done under the sun. Go, eat 00:01:20.870 --> 00:01:23.049 your bread with joy, and drink your wine with 00:01:23.049 --> 00:01:25.689 a merry heart, for God has already accepted your 00:01:25.689 --> 00:01:28.659 works. Let your garments always be white and 00:01:28.659 --> 00:01:31.780 let your head lack no oil. Live joyfully with 00:01:31.780 --> 00:01:34.180 the wife whom you love all the days of your vain 00:01:34.180 --> 00:01:37.219 life which she has given you under the sun, all 00:01:37.219 --> 00:01:39.959 your days of vanity, for that is your portion 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:42.879 in life and in the labor which you perform under 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.340 the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it 00:01:46.340 --> 00:01:49.000 with your might, for there is no work or device 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:51.939 or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you 00:01:51.939 --> 00:01:54.760 are going. I returned and saw under the sun. 00:01:55.099 --> 00:01:58.200 that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:01.319 to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches 00:02:01.319 --> 00:02:03.680 to men of understanding, nor favor to men of 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:06.439 skill. But time and chance happen to them all. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:10.080 For man also does not know his time, like fish 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:12.960 taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:16.319 snare. For the sons of men are snared in an evil 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:20.139 time, when it falls suddenly upon them. This 00:02:20.139 --> 00:02:22.900 wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it 00:02:22.900 --> 00:02:25.789 seemed great to me. there was a little city with 00:02:25.789 --> 00:02:28.729 few men in it and a great king came against it 00:02:28.729 --> 00:02:31.389 besieged it and built great snares around it 00:02:31.389 --> 00:02:34.569 now there was found in it a poor wise man and 00:02:34.569 --> 00:02:37.150 he by his wisdom delivered the city yet no one 00:02:37.150 --> 00:02:40.909 remembered that same poor man then i said wisdom 00:02:40.909 --> 00:02:43.389 is better than strength nevertheless the poor 00:02:43.389 --> 00:02:46.389 man's wisdom is despised and his words are not 00:02:46.389 --> 00:02:49.870 heard words of the wise spoken quietly should 00:02:49.870 --> 00:02:52.590 be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of 00:02:52.590 --> 00:02:55.800 fools Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but 00:02:55.800 --> 00:03:02.840 one sinner destroys much good. Dead flies putrefy 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:05.319 the perfumer's ointment and cause it to give 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:08.500 off a foul odor. So does a little folly to one 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:11.400 respected for wisdom and honor. A wise man's 00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:14.259 heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart 00:03:14.259 --> 00:03:17.520 at his left. Even when a fool walks along the 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:20.180 way, he lacks wisdom, and he shows everyone that 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:23.280 he is a fool. If the spirit of the ruler rises 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:26.340 against you, do not leave your post, for conciliation 00:03:26.340 --> 00:03:30.099 pacifies great offenses. There is an evil I have 00:03:30.099 --> 00:03:32.780 seen under the sun, as an error proceeding from 00:03:32.780 --> 00:03:36.340 the ruler. Folly is set in great dignity, while 00:03:36.340 --> 00:03:39.699 the rich sit in a lowly place. I have seen servants 00:03:39.699 --> 00:03:42.659 on horses, while princes walk on the ground like 00:03:42.659 --> 00:03:46.319 servants. He who digs a pit will fall into it, 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:48.939 and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten 00:03:48.939 --> 00:03:52.580 by a serpent. He who quarries stones may be hurt 00:03:52.580 --> 00:03:55.560 by them, and he who splits wood may be endangered 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:59.120 by it. If the axe is dull and one does not sharpen 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:01.960 the edge, then he must use more strength, but 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:05.719 wisdom brings success. A serpent may bite when 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:08.560 it is not charmed. The babbler is no different. 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:11.639 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:14.240 but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up. 00:04:14.460 --> 00:04:17.100 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, 00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:20.500 and the end of his talk is raving madness. A 00:04:20.500 --> 00:04:23.980 fool also multiplies words. No man knows what 00:04:23.980 --> 00:04:27.879 is to be. Who can tell him what will be after 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:31.579 him? The labor of fools wearies them, for they 00:04:31.579 --> 00:04:35.220 do not even know how to go to the city. Woe to 00:04:35.220 --> 00:04:37.639 you, O land, when your king is a child, and your 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:40.399 princes feast in the morning. Blessed are you, 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:42.620 O land, when your king is the son of nobles, 00:04:42.699 --> 00:04:45.500 and your princes feast at the proper time. for 00:04:45.500 --> 00:04:48.399 strength and not for drunkenness. Because of 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:51.600 laziness the building decays, and through idleness 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:55.019 of hands the house leaks. A feast is made for 00:04:55.019 --> 00:04:57.899 laughter, and wine makes merry, but money answers 00:04:57.899 --> 00:05:01.000 everything. Do not curse the king, even in your 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.519 thought. Do not curse the rich, even in your 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:06.000 bedroom. For a bird of the air may carry your 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:09.040 voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter. 00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:13.939 Chapter 11 Cast your bread upon the waters. for 00:05:13.939 --> 00:05:16.660 you will find it after many days. Give a serving 00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:19.339 to seven, and also to eight, for you do not know 00:05:19.339 --> 00:05:22.259 what evil will be on the earth. If the clouds 00:05:22.259 --> 00:05:24.519 are full of rain, they empty themselves upon 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:27.139 the earth. And if a tree falls to the south or 00:05:27.139 --> 00:05:29.500 the north, in the place where the tree falls, 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:33.019 there it shall lie. He who observes the wind 00:05:33.019 --> 00:05:36.180 will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will 00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:39.360 not reap. As you do not know what is the way 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.040 of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:45.360 of her who is with child, so you do not know 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:48.579 the works of God who makes everything. In the 00:05:48.579 --> 00:05:50.920 morning sow your seed, and in the evening do 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:53.899 not withhold your hand, for you do not know which 00:05:53.899 --> 00:05:56.819 will prosper, either this or that, or whether 00:05:56.819 --> 00:06:00.339 both alike will be good. Truly the light is sweet, 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:02.899 and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the 00:06:02.899 --> 00:06:05.839 sun. But if a man lives many years and rejoices 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:08.480 in them all, Yet let him remember the days of 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:11.759 darkness, for they will be many. All that is 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:15.180 coming is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in your 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:17.620 youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days 00:06:17.620 --> 00:06:19.860 of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart 00:06:19.860 --> 00:06:22.699 and in the sight of your eyes. But know that 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:25.139 for all these God will bring you into judgment. 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:28.040 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart and put 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:30.680 away evil from your flesh, for childhood and 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:37.009 youth are vanity. Remember now your Creator in 00:06:37.009 --> 00:06:38.930 the days of your youth, before the difficult 00:06:38.930 --> 00:06:41.610 days come, and the years draw near, when you 00:06:41.610 --> 00:06:44.170 say, I have no pleasure in them, while the sun 00:06:44.170 --> 00:06:46.550 and the light, the moon and the stars are not 00:06:46.550 --> 00:06:48.949 darkened, and the clouds do not return after 00:06:48.949 --> 00:06:51.389 the rain. In the day when the keepers of the 00:06:51.389 --> 00:06:54.170 house tremble and the strong men bow down, when 00:06:54.170 --> 00:06:57.350 the grinders cease because they are few, and 00:06:57.350 --> 00:06:59.430 those that look through the windows grow dim, 00:06:59.589 --> 00:07:02.230 when the doors are shut in the streets and the 00:07:02.230 --> 00:07:05.389 sound of grinding is low. when one rises up at 00:07:05.389 --> 00:07:07.490 the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of 00:07:07.490 --> 00:07:10.750 music are brought low. Also they are afraid of 00:07:10.750 --> 00:07:13.769 height, and of terrors in the way. When the almond 00:07:13.769 --> 00:07:16.930 tree blossoms, the grasshopper is a burden, and 00:07:16.930 --> 00:07:20.029 desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, 00:07:20.170 --> 00:07:23.389 and the mourners go about the streets. Remember 00:07:23.389 --> 00:07:25.949 your creator before the silver cord is loosed, 00:07:26.050 --> 00:07:28.709 or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher 00:07:28.709 --> 00:07:31.470 shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken 00:07:31.470 --> 00:07:34.120 at the well. Then the dust will return to the 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:36.759 earth as it was, and the spirit will return to 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:40.360 God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:43.879 preacher, all is vanity. And moreover, because 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:46.240 the preacher was wise, he still taught the people 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:49.160 knowledge. Yes, he pondered and sought out and 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:51.819 set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought 00:07:51.819 --> 00:07:54.519 to find acceptable words, and what was written 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:57.639 was upright. Words of truth. The words of the 00:07:57.639 --> 00:08:00.139 wise are like goads, and the words of scholars 00:08:00.139 --> 00:08:03.180 are like well -driven nails. given by one shepherd. 00:08:03.420 --> 00:08:06.180 And further, my son, be admonished by these, 00:08:06.379 --> 00:08:09.500 of making many books there is no end, and much 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:12.500 study is worrisome to the flesh. Let us hear 00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:15.060 the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God 00:08:15.060 --> 00:08:17.939 and keep his commandments, for this is man's 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:20.899 all. For God will bring every work into judgment, 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:24.839 including every secret thing, whether good or 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:32.419 evil. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much 00:08:32.419 --> 00:08:34.659 as I did and I look forward to seeing you again 00:08:34.659 --> 00:08:37.100 tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless 00:08:37.100 --> 00:08:38.159 you and have a great day.