Ecclesiastes

¹ Enter to learn. That's far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, Doing more harm than good.

² Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.

³ Over-talk shows you up as a fool.

⁴ God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it.

⁵ Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up.

⁶ When called to account, you won't get by with "Sorry, I didn't mean it." Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation?

⁷ There's always this rock foundation: Fear God!

⁸ Don't be too upset when you see the poor kicked around, and justice and right violated all over the place. Exploitation filters down from one petty official to another. There's no end to it, and nothing can be done about it.

⁹ But the good earth doesn't cheat anyone—even a bad king is honestly served by a field.

¹⁰ Nor the one who loves wealth with big profits. More smoke.

¹¹ And what fun is that—to be robbed in broad daylight?

¹² Whether supper is beans or steak. But a rich man's belly gives him insomnia.

¹³ A man hoards far more wealth than is good for him

¹⁴ He fathered a child but hasn't a cent left to give him.

¹⁵ He'll leave in the same condition—with nothing.

¹⁶ So what was the point of working for a salary of smoke?

¹⁷ All for a miserable life spent in the dark?

¹⁸ After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot.

¹⁹ Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift!

²⁰ God deals out joy in the present, the now. It's useless to brood over how long we might live.