עָמָל

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”

He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. Yahweh his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.

Then we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers. Yahweh heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.

They put away the foreign gods from among them and served Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

because it didn’t shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

For affliction doesn’t come out of the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground;

but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

for you will forget your misery. You will remember it like waters that have passed away.

They conceive mischief, and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”

“I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!

Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood.

The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.

Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.

They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.

When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me,

The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?

He gave them the lands of the nations. They took the labor of the peoples in possession,

Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was no one to help.

As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.

The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.

Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees;

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.