Ecclesiastes 9:4

Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you, and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard.

For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

“But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?

“What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise you? Shall it declare your truth?

to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

“I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from him.

Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”

So they, and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol. The earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly.

So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,

But the eyes of the wicked will fail. They will have no way to flee. Their hope will be the giving up of the spirit.”

Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding. “Behold, we have come to you; for you are Yahweh our God.

But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh’s flock has been taken captive.

Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.

‘Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal to them abundance of peace and truth.

for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.

The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

To you, Yahweh, I call. My rock, don’t be deaf to me, lest, if you are silent to me, I would become like those who go down into the pit.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.

until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.

What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue?

Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.

The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

In that day you will say, “I will give thanks to you, Yahweh; for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you comfort me.

Moreover the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, in the day that Yahweh binds up the fracture of his people, and heals the wound they were struck with.

For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.

They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.

For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.

When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? Should I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you!

but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

“He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”

The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;

Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus,