Ecclesiastes 9:6

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

What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

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.

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

He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

until there arose a different king, who didn’t know Joseph.

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

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.

A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”

Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

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.”

Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

When a wicked man dies, hope perishes, and expectation of power comes to nothing.

The desire of the righteous is only good. The expectation of the wicked is wrath.

One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God.

But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

You will eat bread by the sweat of your face until you return to the ground, for you were taken out of it. For you are dust, and you shall return to dust.”

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph.

God saw the children of Israel, and God was concerned about them.

He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.

They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! Yahweh has avenged my lord the king today of Saul, and of his offspring.”

When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.”

Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom Yahweh had commanded them that they should not do like them.

For we are strangers before you, and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining.

In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)

He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.

His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.

My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.

He will be rooted out of the security of his tent. He will be brought to the king of terrors.

Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.

Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.

As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.

I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh.

He chooses our inheritance for us, the glory of Jacob whom he loved.

Remember how short my time is, for what vanity you have created all the children of men!

My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.

I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.

The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.

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

Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,

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

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

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.

Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

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.

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”

This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.

Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.

He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Behold, isn’t it of Yahweh of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”

While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

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?

for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.

He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it.

through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.