Ecclesiastes 5 Cross References - NSB

¹ Guard your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are not aware that they do evil. ² Do not be in a hurry to talk. Do not be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words. ³ Dreams come with many efforts, trials and concerns. Fools speak with too many words. ⁴ Do not be late in paying a vow you make to God. He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! ⁵ It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Do not let your speech cause you to sin. Do not say to the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry because of what you say and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ There is futility and emptiness in many dreams and in many words. Reverence God. ⁸ If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the country, do not be shocked at the sight. One official watches over another official and there are higher officials over them. ⁹ A king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land. ¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth, with gain. This too is vanity. ¹¹ When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to see them? ¹² The sleep of the workingman is pleasant, whether he eats little or much. However the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. ¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun. I have seen riches being hoarded by their owner to his downfall (distress). ¹⁴ When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he fathered a son, then there was no support for him. ¹⁵ We entered this world with nothing and naked and we will leave this world with nothing and naked. ¹⁶ This also is a serious evil. Just as we came we will go. Whatever profit or gain we earned we loose as if we labored for the wind. ¹⁷ All his days he eats in darkness. He has much sorrow and anger with his sickness. ¹⁸ This is what I have seen. It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. He labors under the sun all the days of his life. For God gives this to him as his allotment (inheritance). ¹⁹ For every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has empowered him to eat because of them. He should receive his reward and rejoice in his labor. This is the gift of God. ²⁰ He will not often remember the years of his life. This is because God keeps him occupied with the gladness (pleasure) of his heart.

²⁹ Then God said: »I give you every plant that bears seed on the face of the entire earth. I also give you every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ »Also every beast of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground; everything that has the breath of life in it, I give every green plant for food.« It was so.

¹⁷ He said to Adam: »Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

¹⁷ He said to Adam: »Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. ¹⁸ »It will produce thorns and thistles for you. You will eat the plants of the field. ¹⁹ »You will eat your food by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground. You came from the ground. For dust you are and to dust you will return.«

³ As time went by, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to Jehovah. ⁴ But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn (firstlings) of his flock. Jehovah looked with favor on Abel and his offering. ⁵ He did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was downcast (he had a bad attitude).

¹⁶ He treated Abram well for her sake. Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.

² Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

⁵ Lot moved about with Abram. He also had flocks and herds and tents.

⁵ Lot moved about with Abram. He also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together. Their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.

⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together. Their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. ⁷ Quarreling arose between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

⁷ Quarreling arose between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. ⁸ Abram said to Lot: »Let us not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. ⁹ »Is not the whole land before you? Let us part company. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left.« ¹⁰ Lot looked up and saw that the district of the Jordan River was well watered, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. This was before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. ¹¹ So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company:

¹⁶ Then he brought back all the goods. He also brought back his nephew Lot and all the men and women.

²⁷ Then Abraham answered and said: »Indeed now, I who am only dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to Jehovah:

³⁰ Abraham then said: »Do not be angry, and let me speak. Suppose thirty should be found there?« God replied: »I will not do it if I find thirty there.«

³² Abraham again queried: »Please do not be angry as I speak once more: Suppose ten should be found there?« God said: »I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.«

¹⁴ Lot rushed out to tell his sons-in-law: »Hurry! Get out of the city! Jehovah is going to destroy it.« But the young men thought he was only joking.

²⁶ Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

³¹ The older daughter said to her sister: »Our father is getting old. There are no men in the whole world to marry us so we can have children. ³² »Come, let us get our father drunk. Then we can sleep with him and have children by him.« ³³ That night they gave him wine to drink. The older daughter had intercourse with him. But he was so drunk that he did not know it. ³⁴ The next day the older daughter said to her sister: »I slept with him last night. Let us get him drunk again tonight, and you sleep with him. Then each of us will have a child by our father.« ³⁵ So that night they got him drunk. The younger daughter had intercourse with him. Again he was so drunk that he did not know it. ³⁶ Both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their own father. ³⁷ The older daughter had a son, whom she named Moab. He was the ancestor of the present-day Moabites. ³⁸ The younger daughter also had a son, whom she named Ben-ammi. He was the ancestor of the present-day Ammonites.

¹⁶ Jacob woke up from his sleep and said: »Truly, Jehovah is in this place, and I did not know it!« ¹⁷ He was filled with reverence. He said: »This is an awesome place! Certainly, this is the house of God and the gateway to the heavens!«

²⁰ Jacob made a vow. He said: »If God will be with me and will watch over me on my trip and give me food to eat and clothes to wear,

²² »This stone I placed as a marker will be the house of God. I will certainly give you a tenth of everything you give me.«

¹ God said to Jacob: »Go to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar to God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.«

³ »After that let us go to Bethel. I will make an altar there to God, who answered me when I was troubled and who has been with me wherever I have gone.«

¹⁶ »May the being who rescued me from all evil bless these boys! May they be called by my name and by the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac. May they have many children on the earth.«

⁵ God said: »Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground.

⁴ »When you pledge a vow in haste about what you will or will not do, as some people do, and then ignore it; although you know what you said, you will be guilty. ⁵ »So if you are guilty of any of these sins, you must confess it. ⁶ »Bring your guilt offering to Jehovah for the sin you committed. It must be a female sheep or goat as an offering for sin. Then the priest will pay compensation for the wrong and make peace with Jehovah for what you did wrong.

³ Moses said to Aaron: »This is what Jehovah was speaking about when he said: ‘All who serve me must respect my holiness. I will reveal my glory to my people.’« But Aaron remained silent.

⁹ »‘If the vow is to give the kind of animal that people offer to Jehovah, it will be considered holy. ¹⁰ »‘Do not exchange or substitute animals, a good one for a bad one or a bad one for a good one. If you do exchange one animal for another, then both animals will be holy.

²⁵ »The priest will perform the ritual of purification for the congregation. They will be forgiven since the mistake was unintentional and they brought their sin offering as a food offering to Jehovah

² »If a man makes a vow to Jehovah that he will do something or swears an oath that he will not do something, he must not break his word. He must do everything he said he would do.

² »If a man makes a vow to Jehovah that he will do something or swears an oath that he will not do something, he must not break his word. He must do everything he said he would do. ³ »A young girl, who still lives in her father’s house, might make a vow to Jehovah that she will do something or swear an oath that she will not do something. ⁴ »She must do everything that she vowed or promised unless her father raises an objection when he hears about it. ⁵ »If her father forbids her to fulfill the vow when he hears about it, she is not required to keep it. Jehovah will forgive her, because her father refused to let her keep it.

¹⁸ »Remember that Jehovah your God gives you the strength to make a living. That is how he keeps the promise he made to your fathers.

⁸ »Jehovah will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land Jehovah your God gives you. ⁹ »Jehovah will establish you as a holy people to himself. He swore this to you, if you obey the commandments of Jehovah your God and walk in His ways. ¹⁰ »All the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of Jehovah, and they will be afraid of you. ¹¹ »Jehovah will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your animals and in the produce of your ground, the land that Jehovah swore to your fathers to give you. ¹² »Jehovah will open for you his good storehouse. The skies will give rain to your land in due season. It will bless all the work of your hand. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.

⁴⁷ »You did not serve Jehovah your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.

²¹ »When you vow to Jehovah your God do not delay the payback. It would be sin, and Jehovah your God will surely require it of you. ²² »It would not be sin if you refrain from vowing.

²² »It would not be sin if you refrain from vowing. ²³ »Be careful to perform the promise that comes from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to Jehovah your God. Keep your promise.

¹⁵ The captain (commander) of Jehovah’s host (army) said to Joshua: »Take your shoes from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.« And at once Joshua did so.

²¹ »When I saw among the spoils a quality Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them. I hid them in the earth in the middle of my tent.« ²² So Joshua sent messengers to the tent and found it and the silver. ²³ They took them out of the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua, and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before Jehovah. ²⁴ And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. ²⁵ Joshua said: »Why have you troubled us? Jehovah will trouble you this day.« All Israel stoned them with stones. After they stoned them they burned them with fire.

³⁰ Jephthah promised Jehovah: »If you give me victory over the Ammonites,

¹² »He will appoint them to be his officers over one thousand or over fifty soldiers. He will have them plow his ground and harvest his crops. He will require them to make weapons and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ »He will take your daughters from you and force them to make perfumes, cook, and bake. ¹⁴ »He will take away the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his officials. ¹⁵ »He will take a tenth of your grain and wine and give it to his aids and officials. ¹⁶ »He will confiscate your male and female slaves, your best cattle, and your donkeys for his own use. ¹⁷ »He will take a tenth of your flocks. In addition, you will be his servants.

⁶ »Jehovah kills and makes alive. He brings down to the grave and brings up. ⁷ »Jehovah takes away and He gives riches. He brings low and lifts up high. ⁸ »He raises the poor from the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to set them among the princes. He causes them to inherit a throne of glory (honor). The pillars of the earth are Jehovah’s. He sets the world on them.

³⁶ »‘Your descendants who survive will have to go to that priest and ask him for money and food, and beg to be allowed to help the priests, in order to have something to eat.’«

²¹ »Do not go after false gods and empty things. They cannot help you or save you. They are useless.

¹² »So I thought the Philistines will come against me at Gilgal. I have not sought Jehovah’s favor. I felt pressured into sacrificing the burnt offering.« ¹³ »You did a foolish thing,« Samuel told Saul. »You did not follow the command of Jehovah your God. If you had, Jehovah would have established your kingdom over Israel from generation to generation (for a very long time).

²¹ The people took from the plunder of the flock the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. ²² Samuel said: »What is more pleasing to Jehovah, burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obeying is better than sacrifice. To pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

²⁴ And all the people were with Saul. There were about twenty thousand men. The fight was general through all the mountains of Ephraim. Saul made a great error that day. He put the people under an oath, saying: »Let that man be cursed who eats any food before evening. I have taken vengeance on my enemies.« So the people did not eat. ²⁵ All the people came to the forest. There was honey on the ground. The bees had gone from it. ²⁶ When the people entered the woods, the honey was flowing. But no one put his hand to his mouth. The people were afraid of violating their oath. ²⁷ Jonathan had not heard that his father forced the people to take an oath. So he stretched out the tip of the staff he had in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he put it to his mouth his eyes lit up. ²⁸ Then one of the people told him: »Your father forced the people to take a solemn oath, saying: ‘Cursed is anyone who eats food today.’« That is why the people were exhausted. ²⁹ Jonathan answered: »My father brought trouble to the country. See how my eyes lit up when I tasted a little of this honey? ³⁰ »If only the people had eaten some of the enemies’ food they found today. We would have killed more Philistines.« ³¹ That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, but the people were thoroughly exhausted. ³² They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the ground and ate the meat without draining the blood. ³³ Someone told Saul: »The army is disobeying Jehovah by eating meat before the blood drains out.« »You are right,« Saul answered. »They are being unfaithful to Jehovah! Hurry! Roll a big rock over here.« ³⁴ »Then tell everyone in camp to bring their cattle and lambs to me. They can kill the animals on this rock and then eat the meat. That way no one will disobey Jehovah by eating meat with blood still in it.« That night the people brought their cattle over to the big rock and killed them there. ³⁵ It was the first altar Saul had built for offering sacrifices to Jehovah. ³⁶ Saul said: »Let us attack the Philistines again while it is still dark. We can fight them all night. Let us kill them and take everything they own!« The people answered: »We will do whatever you want.« Ahijah the priest said: »Wait! Let us ask God what we should do.« ³⁷ Saul asked God: »Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help us win?« This time God did not answer. ³⁸ Saul called his army officers together and said: »We have to find out what sin has kept God from answering. ³⁹ »I promise by the living Jehovah, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan.« But no one said anything. ⁴⁰ Then Saul said to them: »All of you stand over there. Jonathan and I will stand over here.« »Do whatever you think best,« they answered. ⁴¹ Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel, give a perfect lot. Jonathan and Samuel were taken, but the people escaped. ⁴² Then Saul said: »Cast lots to decide between my son Jonathan and me.« And Jonathan was indicated. ⁴³ Then Saul asked Jonathan: »What have you done?« Jonathan answered: »I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am. I am ready to die.« ⁴⁴ Saul said: »May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!« ⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul: »Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death?« »No! We promise by the living Jehovah that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God’s help.« So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.

¹³ »I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king.

⁷ Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They provided food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year. ⁸ The following are the names of these twelve officers and the districts they were in charge of: Benhur: the mountains of Ephraim, ⁹ Bendeker: the cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, Elon, and Beth Hanan, ¹⁰ Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, ¹¹ Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. ¹² Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. ¹³ Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. ¹⁴ Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. ¹⁵ Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. ¹⁶ Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. ¹⁷ Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. ¹⁸ Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. ¹⁹ Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land. ²⁰ The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and were very happy. ²¹ Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life. ²² The supplies Solomon needed each day were one hundred and fifty bushels of fine flour and three hundred bushels of meal. ²³ Also needed were ten stall-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fowl (cuckoo).

¹³ King Solomon drafted thirty thousand men as forced labor from all over Israel. ¹⁴ He appointed Adoniram to be in charge of them. He divided them into three groups of ten thousand men. Each group spent one month in Lebanon and two months back home. ¹⁵ Solomon also had eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountains. There were seventy thousand men to carry the stones. ¹⁶ He placed three thousand three hundred foremen there to supervise their work.

²⁶ He took the treasures from Jehovah’s Temple and the royal palace. He took them all. He took all the gold shields Solomon had made.

² King Ahaziah of Israel fell off the balcony on the roof of his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. He sent some messengers and said to them: »Go to consult Baalzebub, the god of the Philistine city of Ekron, to find out whether or not I will recover from this.«

⁶ They answered: »A man told us to come back and tell you that Jehovah says: ‘Why are you sending messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no god in Israel? You will not recover from your injuries. You will die!’«

¹² Then she said: »By the life of Jehovah your God, I have nothing but a little meal, and a drop of oil in the bottle; and now I am getting two sticks together so that I may go in and make it ready for me and my son, so that we may have a meal before our death.«

¹⁹ »Say to him: ‘Jehovah says: »Have you put a man to death and taken his heritage?«’« »Then say: ‘Jehovah says: »Your blood will become the drink of dogs! You will go to the same place where the dogs drink the blood of Naboth.«’« ²⁰ Ahab said to Elijah: »Have you come face to face with me, O my enemy?« Elijah said: »I have come to you because you have given yourself up to do evil in the eyes of Jehovah.«

²⁷ »Naaman's leprosy will come upon you. You and your descendants will have it from generation to generation!« When Gehazi left, he had the disease. His skin was as white as snow.

¹⁵ Then God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. Then he changed his mind. He said to the angel: »Stop! That is enough!« The angel was standing at the threshing place of Araunah, a Jebusite. ¹⁶ David saw the angel standing in midair, holding his sword in his hand, ready to destroy Jerusalem. Then David and the leaders of the people, all of whom were wearing sackcloth bowed low, with their faces touching the ground.

¹² »For this reason I will give you wisdom and knowledge. And in addition, I will give you more wealth, treasure, and fame than any king has ever had before or will ever have again.«

²⁶ for the farm workers in the fields, Ezri, son of Chelub ²⁷ for the vineyards, Shimei from Ramah for storing wine that came from the vineyards- Zabdi from Shepham ²⁸ for the olive and fig trees in the foothills, Baal Hanan from Gedor for storing olive oil- Joash ²⁹ for the herds grazing in Sharon, Shitrai from Sharon for the herds in the valleys- Shaphat, son of Adlai ³⁰ for the camels, Obil, a descendant of Ishmael for the donkeys, Jehdeiah from Meronoth ³¹ for the flocks, Jaziz from Hagar

¹⁰ Asa was so angry with the prophet that he had him put in chains. It was at this same time that Asa began treating some of the people cruelly. ¹¹ All the events of Asa’s reign from beginning to end are recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ¹² In the thirty-ninth year that Asa was king a severe foot disease crippled him. Even then he did not turn to Jehovah for help, but to doctors.

²⁴ The Aramean army came with a small number of men. Jehovah handed Joash’s large army over to them because Joash’s soldiers had abandoned Jehovah the God of their ancestors. So the Arameans carried out Jehovah’s judgment on Joash. ²⁵ The Arameans withdrew. They left him suffering from many wounds. His own officials plotted against him for murdering the son of the priest Jehoiada. They killed Joash in his bed and buried him in the City of David. But they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

¹⁶ However when he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He was unfaithful to Jehovah his God. He went into Jehovah’s Temple to burn incense on the incense altar.

¹⁷ There is more, a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers were guests at my table, in addition to those who came to us from the nations nearby. ¹⁸ The food for one day included: one bull and six fat sheep, as well as fowls; and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. All the same, I did not take the food to which the ruler had a right, because the people were crushed under a hard yoke.

²¹ He said: »I was born with nothing (naked), and I will die with nothing. Jehovah gave, and now he has taken away. Blessed be the name of Jehovah!«

⁵ »Hungry people eat what a stubborn fool gathers. They take it even from among the thorns. Thirsty people pant after his wealth.

² »Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated?

¹⁵ »He will spit out the riches he swallowed. God will make his stomach vomit them up. ¹⁶ »He will suck the poison of serpents. The fangs of an adder (cobra) will kill him. ¹⁷ »He will not look upon the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream. ¹⁸ »What he toiled for he must give back uneaten. He will not enjoy the profit from his trading. ¹⁹ »For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor and left them destitute. He has violently seized houses he did not build. ²⁰ »He will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. ²¹ »There is nothing left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. ²² »Distress will overtake him in the midst of his plenty. The full force of misery will come upon him. ²³ »With his belly full, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows upon him. ²⁴ »Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him. ²⁵ »He pulls it out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver. Terrors will come over him. ²⁶ »Total darkness lies in wait for his treasures. A fire will consume him and devour what is left in his tent. ²⁷ »The heavens will expose his guilt. The earth will rise up against him! ²⁸ »A flood will carry off his house. Rushing waters will wash away his possessions on the day of God’s wrath. ²⁹ »This is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God.«

²⁵ »Another dies an angry being, never having tasted of good.

¹⁷ You have heard the desire of humble people, O Jehovah. You encourage them. You incline your ear (pay close attention) to them. ¹⁸ You provide justice for orphans and oppressed people so that no man will terrify them again.

⁸ »What hope doe the godless have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? ⁹ »Does God listen to his cry when distress comes upon him? ¹⁰ »Will he find delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times? ¹¹ »I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal. ¹² »You have all seen this yourselves. Why then this meaningless talk? ¹³ »Here is the fate God accords the wicked. This is the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty: ¹⁴ »No mater how many his children, their fate is the sword. His offspring will never have enough to eat. ¹⁵ »The plague will bury those who survive him. Their widows will not weep for them. ¹⁶ »Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay,

¹⁶ »Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay, ¹⁷ what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver.

¹⁷ what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver. ¹⁸ »The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman. ¹⁹ »He lies down wealthy and wakes up and all is gone. ²⁰ Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest snatches him away in the night. ²¹ »The east wind carries him off. He is gone and it sweeps him out of his place. ²² »It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power. ²³ »Men will clap their hands in derision (ridicule) and hiss him out of his place.

⁶ Many are saying: »Who will show us good?« Lift up the light of your countenance (face) (presence) upon us, O Jehovah! ⁷ You will put gladness (joy) in my heart. It will be more than when their grain and new wine abound. ⁸ In peace I will both lie down and sleep. For you alone, O Jehovah, make my dwelling safe and secure.

⁵ »Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan, I will now arise,« says Jehovah. »I will provide safety for those who long for it.«

¹⁶ Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷ He will not take anything with him when he dies. Even his greatness cannot follow him.

⁹ Confuse their language, O Jehovah, because I see violence and conflict in the city.

¹⁰ The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. ¹¹ Men will say: Truly there is a reward for the righteous. Truly there is a God who judges the earth.

¹³ I will come into your temple with burnt offerings. I will keep my vows to you, ¹⁴ the vows made by my lips and spoken by my own mouth when I was in trouble.

⁶ »Every man walks about like a vain illusion. He makes a lot of noise over nothing. He hoards riches and does not know who will receive them.

⁸ »I do not reprove you for your sacrifices or burnt offerings, which are constantly (always) in front of me. ⁹ »But I will not accept another young bull from your household or a single male goat from your pens. ¹⁰ »Every living thing in the forest, even the cattle on a thousand hills, is mine. ¹¹ »I know every bird in the mountains. Everything that moves in the fields is mine. ¹² »If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all that it contains are mine. ¹³ »Do I eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of male goats? ¹⁴ »Bring your thanks to God as a sacrifice, and pay (make good) your vows to the Most High.

¹⁴ »Bring your thanks to God as a sacrifice, and pay (make good) your vows to the Most High. ¹⁵ »Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.« ¹⁶ But God says to the wicked: »How dare you quote my decrees and mouth my covenant! ¹⁷ »You hate discipline. You cast (throw) my words behind you. ¹⁸ »When you see a thief, you make friends with him. You keep company with people who commit adultery.

¹ ([Psalm of David]) Why do you brag about the evil you have done, O mighty man? The loving kindness of God endures continually!

⁷ Here is the man who did not make God his strength (refuge) (stronghold). He trusted in the abundance of his riches. He strengthened himself in his wickedness.

¹⁰ Do not count on extortion to make you rich. Do not hope to gain anything through robbery. When riches increase, do not depend on them.

¹¹ Make vows to Jehovah your God and fulfill them. Let all who are around him bring gifts to him. He should be respected.

³³ He brought their days to an end like a whisper in the wind. He brought their years to an end in terror.

⁷ He is a God greatly reverenced in the council of the holy ones. He is awesome above all those who are around Him?

⁷ Your anger consumes us. We are troubled by your rage. ⁸ You set our sins in front of you. You put our secret sins in the light of your presence. ⁹ Indeed, all our days slip away because of your fury. We live out our years like one long sigh. ¹⁰ The days of our lives are seventy or eighty years if we are in good health. But the best of them bring trouble and misery. Indeed, they are soon gone, and we fly away. ¹¹ Who understands the power of your anger, and your fury according to the reverence that is due you?

³ For Jehovah is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He pronounces judgment among the god-like ones: (John 10:35)

¹⁸ That they may know that you alone, whose name is Jehovah, are the Most High over all the earth.

⁹ For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping.

¹⁴ You cause the grass to grow for the cattle and vegetation for the labor of man. That he may bring forth food from the earth, ¹⁵ And wine which makes man's heart glad. That he may make his face shine with oil, and food, which sustains man's heart.

⁹ Let his children become fatherless and his wife a widow. ¹⁰ Let his children wander around and beg. Let them seek help far from their ruined homes. ¹¹ Let a creditor take everything he owns. Let strangers steal what he has worked for. ¹² Let no one be kind to him anymore. Let no one show any pity to his fatherless children.

³⁶ Incline my heart to your laws and not to dishonest gain. ³⁷ Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in your ways.

³ Our God is in heaven. He does whatever he pleases.

¹⁶ The highest heaven belongs to Jehovah, but he has given the earth to the sons of men.

¹⁴ I will keep my vows to Jehovah in the presence of all his people.

¹⁶ O Jehovah, I am indeed your servant. I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have freed me from my chains. ¹⁷ I will bring a song of thanksgiving to you as a sacrifice. I will call on the name of Jehovah. ¹⁸ I will keep my vows to Jehovah in the presence of all his people,

¹⁰⁶ I have sworn and I will confirm it: I will keep your righteous ordinances.

² It is vain to work hard for the food you eat by getting up early and going to bed late. Jehovah gives food to those he loves while they sleep.

¹⁹ So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust dishonest gain. Greed takes away the life of its owner.

²⁷ »Trouble and distress will surround you like a whirlwind, like a great storm. ²⁸ »You will ask for my help, but I will not listen. You will search, but you will not find me. ²⁹ »You have no use for knowledge and you refuse to respect Jehovah.

³² »Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to stupid fools.

²⁴ When you lie down you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

¹⁷ »I love those who love me. Those who earnestly seek me will find me.

¹⁹ Sin does not hide from a multitude of words. The wise controls his lips.

¹¹ Do not let slanderers prosper on earth. Let evil hunt down violent people with one blow after another. ¹² I know that Jehovah will defend the rights of those who are oppressed and the cause of those who are needy.

¹⁰ He finds no joy in strong horses, nor do brave soldiers please him. ¹¹ Jehovah is pleased with those who fear him, with those who wait with hope for his mercy.

¹¹ If they say: »Come with us. Let us lie in wait to kill someone. Let us ambush the innocent without cause. ¹² »Let us swallow them alive and whole just as the grave does, and just as the dead go into the pit. ¹³ »We will find precious material possessions and we fill our houses with plunder.

⁴ Riches do not profit in the day of wrath. Righteousness delivers from death.

²⁴ There is one who scatters, and yet increases. There is one who withholds what is due and it leads to poverty. ²⁵ The liberal person will prosper. He who waters will be watered.

²⁹ He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind. The fool will serve the wise of heart.

²³ Abundant foods is in the fallow ground of the poor. There is waste because of a lack of justice.

² The tongue of the wise uses knowledge properly. The mouth of fools pours out foolishness.

⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah! The prayer of the upright is his delight.

²⁵ It is dangerous to make a vow to God before counting the cost.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination! How much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind?

⁵ Will you look for things that do not exist? Riches grow wings and fly away like a bird.

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners, but reverence Jehovah all day long.

²³ Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds. ²⁴ Riches are not forever: and a crown does not endure for every generation. ²⁵ The hay appears and the tender grass shows itself. Herbs of the mountains are gathered. ²⁶ The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats bring the price of the field. ²⁷ You will have enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household, and for the maintenance for your maidservants.

¹⁹ He who tills his land will have plenty of bread. He who follows after vain persons will have poverty.

¹⁵ The leach has two daughters. Each cry: »Give,« »Give!« There are three things that are never satisfied, yes; even four things never say: »It is enough!« ¹⁶ The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that does not say: »It is enough.«

³ What profit does a man have of all his labor that he works under the sun?

¹⁷ I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I know that this also is a striving after wind.

¹⁰ Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold joy from my heart. My heart took pleasure in all my work and this was my reward. ¹¹ I looked at all the works my hands accomplished. I saw everything I had worked to do. I saw that all was vanity and grasping for the wind. It was to no purpose for there was no profit under the sun.

¹⁷ I hated life. Everything under the sun was evil to me. All is vanity and grasping for the wind. ¹⁸ I hated all the work I had done under the sun, because I would leave it behind for the man who comes after me.

²² What does a man get for all his work, and for the desire of his heart with which he has done his work under the sun? ²³ All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is vanity. ²⁴ There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and delight in his work. This also I saw was from the hand of God.

²⁴ There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and delight in his work. This also I saw was from the hand of God. ²⁵ After all, who eats and who drinks better than I? ²⁶ To the man who is good, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy. But to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

²⁶ To the man who is good, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy. But to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

¹² I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to rejoice and to do good works in life. ¹³ Every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of God.

¹³ Every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that whatever God does it will be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it. God does it in order that men should reverence (respect) him.

¹⁶ I saw under the sun the place of judgment and wickedness was there. And wickedness was in the place of righteousness.

¹⁹ What happens to the sons of men also happens to animals. As the one dies so the other dies. Yes, they all have one breath so that a man has no advantage over animals. For all is vanity.

²² I see there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works. That is his portion. Who will bring him to see what will happen after him?

¹ I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed for they had no one to comfort them. The oppressors had power but they had no one to comfort them.

⁴ I have learned why people work so hard to succeed. It is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is vanity! It is like chasing the wind.

⁸ There is a man who is by himself, without a companion. He is without son or brother. There is no end to all his work. He never has enough wealth. Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. He never asks: »For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?« This too is vanity and a terrible problem.

¹⁶ There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them. Those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

¹ Guard your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are not aware that they do evil. ² Do not be in a hurry to talk. Do not be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words. ³ Dreams come with many efforts, trials and concerns. Fools speak with too many words.

⁷ There is futility and emptiness in many dreams and in many words. Reverence God.

¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun. I have seen riches being hoarded by their owner to his downfall (distress).

¹ There is an evil that I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men. ² God has given man riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires. Yet God has not empowered him to partake of them for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

² God has given man riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires. Yet God has not empowered him to partake of them for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

⁷ All the labor of man is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.

⁹ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering after the desire. This is also vanity and a striving after wind.

¹⁸ It is good that you should take hold of this and also from this not withdraw your hand, for he who respects God will come forth from them all.

⁹ I have seen all this and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time when one man rules over another to his own misery and harm.

¹² Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and he lives a long life, yet I know that it will be well with those who respect (reverence) God and worship him.

¹⁵ Then I commended enjoyment (pleasure), because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry. That will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.

⁷ Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart for God now accepts your works.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. ¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness. The result of his talk is mischievous madness. ¹⁴ A fool also is full of words. A man cannot predict what will be and what will be after him. Who can tell him?

⁹ Rejoice, O young man, in your youth. Let your heart cheer you in your early days. Walk in the ways of your heart, and in the desires of your eyes. Yet you know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.

¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Respect God, and obey his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.

²⁰ That day people will throw their silver and gold idols, that they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and the bats.

¹⁵ »What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the face of the poor?« Declares Jehovah of Hosts.

⁷ I am Jehovah of Hosts (All Powerful)! Israel is the vineyard, and Judah is the garden I tended with care. I had hoped for honesty and for justice, but dishonesty and cries for mercy were all I found.

²¹ Jehovah will make himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Jehovah in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to Jehovah and perform it.

⁶ A fool speaks foolishly and thinks up evil things to do. He promotes wickedness and what he says insults Jehovah. He never feeds the hungry or gives thirsty people anything to drink. ⁷ As for a rogue, his weapons are evil. He devises wicked schemes to destroy the afflicted with slander, even though the needy one speaks what is right. ⁸ But the noble man devises noble plans. He stands firm for what is honorable.

¹² »Who requires you to trample on my courtyards when you appear in my presence? ¹³ »Do not bring any more worthless grain offerings. Your incense is disgusting to me! So are your New Moon Festivals, your days of worship, and the assemblies you call. I cannot endure your evil assemblies! ¹⁴ »I hate your New Moon Festivals and your appointed festivals. They are a burden to me. I am tired of putting up with them. ¹⁵ »When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen because your hands are full of blood. ¹⁶ »Wash yourselves! Become clean! Get your evil deeds out of my sight. Stop doing evil. ¹⁷ »Learn to do good (well) (right). Seek justice. Correct oppressors. Defend orphans. Plead the case of widows.« ¹⁸ »Come now, let us reason together (make things right) (correct matters) between us!« Says Jehovah. »Though your sins are like scarlet, they will become as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they will become as white as wool. ¹⁹ »If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land. ²⁰ »Refuse and rebel and swords will devour you. Jehovah has spoken.«

⁵ »How horrible it will be for Assyria! It is the rod of my anger. My fury is in the staff of the Assyrians' hands. ⁶ »I send him against a godless nation. I commission him against the people of my fury to capture booty and to seize plunder, and to trample them down like mud (clay) in the streets. ⁷ »But the Assyrian emperor has his own violent plans in mind. He is determined to destroy many nations.

¹² »It will happen when Jehovah has performed all his work on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. He will say: I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty appearance.

¹⁸ We were with child, we writhed in pain, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth. We have not given birth to people of the world.

³⁶ The angel of Jehovah put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. The people got up the next morning and saw all the dead bodies!

¹⁰ Who among you respects Jehovah and obeys his servant? Let those who walk in darkness and have no light trust the name of Jehovah and depend upon their God. ¹¹ But all of you light fires and arm yourselves with flaming torches. So walk in your own light and among the torches you have lit. This is what you will receive from me: You will be tormented.

⁹ »As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ »I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ ¹¹ I summon a bird of prey from the east. I summon a man to fulfill my purpose from a far off land. What I have said I will bring about. What I have determined (purposed) I will do.

¹⁵ The High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy, says: ‘I dwell in the high and holy and also with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. I revive the spirit of the humble, and the heart of the contrite ones.’

¹³ We rebelled and denied Jehovah. We turned away from our God. We spoke about oppression and revolt. We conceived and uttered lies in our hearts. ¹⁴ Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away. Truth has fallen in the street, and honesty cannot come in. ¹⁵ Truth is missing. Those who turn away from evil become victims. Jehovah sees it, and what he saw displeased him because there is no justice. ¹⁶ He sees that there is no one to help. He is astounded that there is no one to intercede. So he saves him with his own power. His righteousness supports him.

¹³ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: My servants will eat, but you will go hungry. My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty. My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame! ¹⁴ My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit.

²¹ »They will build houses and dwell in them. They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²² »No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people. My chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. ²³ »They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune. For they will be a people blessed by Jehovah, they and their descendants with them. ²⁴ »Before they call I will answer! While they are still speaking I will hear.

³ »Whoever kills a bull is like someone who kills a person. Whoever sacrifices a lamb is like someone who breaks a dog's neck. Whoever offers a grain sacrifice is like someone who offers pig's blood. Whoever burns incense is like someone who worships an idol. People have certainly chosen their own ways, and they delight in detestable things.

⁸ »‘The priests did not ask: ‘Where is Jehovah? Those who deal with my Law did not know me. The rulers rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal and followed things that could not help (profit) them.’«

²¹ Thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: »Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh. ²² »For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. ²³ »‘I gave them this command: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. You will walk in all the way that I command you that it may be well with you.’«

⁵ You greeted the one who gladly does right and remembers your ways. You were angry because we sinned. We continued to sin for a long time. Can we still be saved?

¹¹ »A person who gets rich dishonestly is like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay. During his lifetime, he will lose his wealth. In the end, he will be a wicked fool.«

²⁶ At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant.

¹⁷ »Your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain. You are shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion.« ¹⁸ Therefore Jehovah tells us about Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: »They will not cry for him: ‘Alas, my brother!’ And, ‘Alas, sister!’ They will not mourn him: ‘Alas for the master!’ And, »Alas for his splendor!« ¹⁹ He will be buried with a donkey's burial. He will be dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

¹⁰ »I am going to live in Mizpah and represent you when the Babylonians come to us. Gather grapes, summer fruit, and olive oil, and put them in storage jars. Live in the cities you have taken over.« ¹¹ All the Jews who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and in all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a few survivors in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them. ¹² So all the Jews returned from all the places where they had been scattered. They came to Judah and to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They gathered a large harvest of grapes and summer fruit.

³⁴ The king of Babylon gave him a daily food allowance as long as he lived.

¹⁶ And he added: »Mortal man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread for Jerusalem. The people there will be distressed and anxious as they measure out the food they eat and the water they drink. ¹⁷ »They will run out of bread and water. They will be in despair. They will waste away because of their sins.

⁶ »‘»See how all the princes of Israel who live in you have used their power to shed blood (murder people). ⁷ »‘»People in you hate their fathers and mothers. They oppress foreigners in you. They oppress orphans and widows in you.«’« ⁸ »You have despised my holy things and dishonored (profaned the Sabbath) the day to worship me. ⁹ »Your people tell lies about others in order to have them put to death. They eat sacrifices offered to idols. They always satisfy their lusts. ¹⁰ »Some of them sleep with their father's wife. Some force women to have intercourse with them during their period. ¹¹ »Some commit adultery, and others seduce their daughters-in-law or their half sisters. ¹² »Some of your people murder for pay. Some charge interest on the loans they make to other Israelites and get rich by taking advantage of them. They have forgotten me. The Lord Jehovah has spoken. ¹³ ‘»I strike my fist at your dishonest gain and your acts of bloodshed. ¹⁴ ‘»Can your heart endure? Will your hands be strong in the days that I will deal with you? I, Jehovah, have spoken and will act.

⁶ »I desire loving-kindness (mercy), not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. ⁷ »Like Adam, they have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me there.

⁷ »The people of Israel plant the wind, but they harvest a storm. A field of grain that does not ripen will never produce any grain. Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would eat it all.

¹² I know you have many transgressions and your sins are great. You afflict the righteous. You take bribes. You refuse to help the needy at the gate.

² »Travel to Calneh and observe. From there go to the great Hamath. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better off than these kingdoms? Is their territory greater than your territory? ³ »You put far away the evil day and cause the place of violence to come near. ⁴ »You lie on beds of ivory, and stretch on couches. You eat the the best lambs out of the flock and the fattest calves out of the stall. ⁵ »You sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David you improvise on musical instruments. ⁶ »You drink wine in bowls, and anoint yourselves with the finest oils. But you are not grieved because of the affliction of Joseph.

¹² »Do horses run upon the rock? Will one plow there with cattle? You have turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood (bitterness)!

⁴ »Hear this, you who would swallow up the needy, and cause the poor of the land to fail. ⁵ »You say: When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit. ⁶ »We may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the refuse of the wheat? ⁷ »Jehovah has sworn by the pride of Jacob: I will never forget any of their works.

⁴ He struggled with the angel and won. Jacob cried and pleaded with him. Jacob found him at Bethel, and he talked with him there. ⁵ »Jehovah is the God of Hosts. Jehovah is the name by which he is remembered.

⁹ »But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving! I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is from Jehovah!«

¹ »Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! When the morning comes they do it because they are able to (it is in the power of their hands). ² »They covet fields and seize them. They covet houses and confiscate them! They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.« ³ Therefore Jehovah says: »Behold, against this family I plan bad things, from which you will not remove the burden. You will not be able to show pride for it is an evil time.

⁹ »You evict the women of my people from their pleasant houses. You remove the glory of their young children from generation to generation.

¹ I said: »Please listen, you heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not your responsibility to know justice? ² »You hate good and love evil! You rip off their skin and their flesh from off their bones! ³ »You eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them! You break their bones, and chop them in pieces similar to the contents of a pot or a caldron. ⁴ »They will cry to Jehovah but he will not answer them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time because they have done evil things.«

⁹ Please hear this you heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel. You who abhor justice, and pervert honesty! ¹⁰ They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with immorality. ¹¹ The leaders judge for a bribe, and the priests teach for wages! The prophets predict for money yet they rely on Jehovah when they say: »Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? No evil will come upon us.« ¹² It is your fault that Zion will be plowed like a field. Jerusalem will become heaps of ruin, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

¹⁰ Is there a depository of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short measure that is cursed? ¹¹ Can I be pure with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful stone weights? ¹² The rich men are full of violence! Her inhabitants speak lies. Their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. ¹³ »I also struck you with a grievous wound. I made you desolate because of your sins.

² How long, O Jehovah (YHWH), will I call for help and you do not hear? I cry out to you, save me from violence! And yet you do not save. ³ Why do you make me see wickedness and immorality? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife exists and contention arises.

¹² You are from everlasting, O Jehovah my God, my Holy One, You are eternal. O Jehovah, you have appointed them (the Chaldean) to execute judgment. You, O Rock, have established them for correction. ¹³ Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. You cannot look at perversity. Why do you look at treacherous persons and not act? Why do you keep quiet when the wicked destroy the man who is more righteous?

⁵ »Wine is treacherous and never allows an arrogant man to rest. He never stays home. He has a large appetite like the grave. Like death he is never satisfied. He gathers all nations and collects all the people. ⁶ »Will they all taunt him by directing clever sayings and riddles at him? They will say: How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich with what is not his own (by extortion) and makes himself wealthy on loans. How long will this go on? ⁷ »Will your creditors and collection agents suddenly arise and make you tremble? Then you will become their prize.

¹³ »Is it for Jehovah of Hosts that the peoples labor for the fire? Do the nations weary themselves for vanity?

¹⁸ »Their silver and their gold will not be able to keep them safe in the Day of Jehovah’s anger (rage) (wrath). He will devour all the nations by the fire of his zeal! He will exterminate all the inhabitants of the earth!«

⁹ »You looked for much harvest and you received little. When you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?« Said Jehovah of Hosts. »Because my house lies in waste, while each of you run to his house.

⁹ »You looked for much harvest and you received little. When you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?« Said Jehovah of Hosts. »Because my house lies in waste, while each of you run to his house. ¹⁰ »It is because of you that the sky above you withholds the dew, and the earth below withholds its produce. ¹¹ »I brought drought on the land and its hills, grain fields, vineyards, and olive orchards. Yes drought on every crop the ground produces, on people and animals, on everything you try to grow.«

¹⁴ Then Haggai said: »Jehovah declared that the same thing applies to the people of this nation and to everything they produce; and so everything they offer on the altar is defiled.« ¹⁵ »Can you see what has happened to you,« Jehovah asked, »before you started to rebuild the Temple? ¹⁶ »You would go to a pile of grain looking for twenty bushels, but there would be only ten. You would go to draw fifty gallons of wine from a vat and find only twenty. ¹⁷ »I struck you with scorching winds, mildew and hail to ruin everything you tried to grow,« declared Jehovah, »but you still did not repent.

⁹ »Jehovah of Hosts has spoken: Every man should execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion to his brother! ¹⁰ »Do not oppress the widow. Do not oppress the fatherless. Do not oppress the stranger and do not oppress the poor. And you should not devise evil in your heart against your brother. ¹¹ »They refused to pay heed, turned a stubborn shoulder (resisted), and stopped their ears, that they might not hear. ¹² »They made their hearts hard like flint and would not listen to the law, and the words that Jehovah of Hosts sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Great anger came from Jehovah of Hosts!« ¹³ »‘I cried, and they would not listen. Now they will cry, and I will not listen,’ said Jehovah of Hosts!

⁶ Jehovah of hosts proclaims: »If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?« Said Jehovah of Hosts.

¹⁰ Jehovah of Hosts continues: »Is there one among you who will shut the Temple doors to prevent lighting a useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you! I will not accept the offerings you bring me.

¹⁰ Jehovah of Hosts continues: »Is there one among you who will shut the Temple doors to prevent lighting a useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you! I will not accept the offerings you bring me. ¹¹ »Where ever the sun rises and sets my name will be great among the people of the nations. Incense will be offered to my name everywhere. It will be a pure offering! For my name will be great among the nations,« said Jehovah of Hosts.

⁷ »The priests should teach the true knowledge of God. They are the messengers of Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore the people should learn (my will) the law from them.

¹ »Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes,« said Jehovah of Hosts.

⁵ »I will approach you people for judgment! I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers and those acting fraudulently with the wages of the worker, the widow and the fatherless. I will be a speedy witness against those who swear falsely and take advantage of the stranger, and do not show me reverence,« said Jehovah of Hosts.

³³ »You were also told that you should keep a promise (oath). Always keep your promises (vows) to Jehovah.

⁷ »Large quantities of meaningless words and repetition are not acceptable in prayer. The pagans think their gods will hear long and repetitious prayers.

⁹ »‘Our Father in heaven, holy is your name. (Exodus 6:3) (Psalm 83:18) (Isaiah 42:8; 54:5; 63:16; 64:8)

¹⁹ »Do not accumulate large amounts of wealth on earth. This is where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal.

¹⁹ »Do not accumulate large amounts of wealth on earth. This is where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ »Accumulate wealth in heaven where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

²⁴ »You cannot serve two masters. You will hate one and love the other. You will be loyal to one master and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (wealth) (material possessions).

³⁶ »I tell you there will be an account in the Judgment Day for every careless word that men say.

⁴¹ »The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all who stumble others and commit lawlessness. ⁴² »The angels will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

²³ He pledged to her, »Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom.«

³⁶ »What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

³² »He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. Jehovah God will give him the throne of his father David. (Isaiah 11:1-10)

³⁵ The angel replied: »Holy Spirit would come to you and the power of the Most High will envelope you. Because of this the newborn will be called the Son of God.«

⁷⁶ »Your child will be called the prophet of the Most High. You will go in advance of Jehovah God to make his ways ready. (Malachi 3:1)

¹⁵ Jesus said: »Be careful, do not covet, for life does not come from your possessions.« ¹⁶ He spoke an illustration to them: »The land of a rich man produced well. ¹⁷ »He reasoned to himself, what will I do? I have nowhere to store my fruits? ¹⁸ »He said: »I would pull down my barns and build larger barns. I will store all my grain and goods there. ¹⁹ »I will say to my self: ‘You have many possessions saved for many years. Take it easy and eat, drink and be merry.’ ²⁰ »But God said to him: ‘You fool this night you will give up your life. Then who will have all these things you accumulated?’

²⁰ »But God said to him: ‘You fool this night you will give up your life. Then who will have all these things you accumulated?’ ²¹ »He who lays up (earthly) treasure for himself is not rich toward God.«

¹ Jesus told his disciples: »There was a rich man who had a servant who managed his property. The rich man learned that the manager was accused of wasting his master’s money. ² »He said: ‘Is it true what I hear about you? Give me a complete accounting of your management of my property for you may not be my manager any longer.’ ³ »The servant thought: ‘I am fired from my job. What shall I do? I am not strong enough for heavy work and I am ashamed to beg. ⁴ »‘I know what I will do when my job is gone. My friends will welcome me in their homes.’ ⁵ »He called all the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one: ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶ »‘One hundred barrels of olive oil,’ he said. ‘Here is your bill,’ he told him; ‘settle for fifty.’ ⁷ »He asked another: ‘How much do you owe?’ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he answered. ‘Here is your bill. Pay eight hundred bushels.’ ⁸ »The master of the dishonest manager praised him for doing a shrewd thing. People of this world are more astute at handling their affairs than people who belong to the light. ⁹ Jesus continued: »I tell you, make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth. That way when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home. ¹⁰ »Whoever is faithful in little things will be faithful in large ones. Whoever is unrighteous in small things will be unrighteous in large ones. ¹¹ »If you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth? ¹² »If you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what belongs to you? ¹³ »No one can serve two masters. He will hate one and love the other. He will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.«

¹⁹ »A rich man dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day.

²² »The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man died and was buried. ²³ »He was in great torment in the grave (hades). He looked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side.

²² When Jesus heard it he said to him, »You lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.« ²³ But when he heard these things he became very sad for he was very rich.

⁸ Zacchaeus stood before Jesus and said: »Lord, I now give half of all my possessions to the poor. If I have defrauded any one I will give back four times the amount taken.«

²⁷ »Do not work for food that perishes but for food that offers everlasting life. The Son of man will give you this food. The Father, even God, has set his seal upon him.«

²⁷ Truly both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the people of the nations and the people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you have anointed. ²⁸ »They were there to do the things your hand and council foreordained to occur.

⁴ While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your power? Why did you conceive this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.«

³⁰ »At the end of forty years, Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai in a flame of fire in a bush. (Exodus 3:3) ³¹ When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. He drew near to look at it and the voice of Jehovah came to him. ³² »He said: I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled and did not dare to look further. ³³ »Jehovah said: Take the sandals from your feet for the place where you stand is holy ground. (Exodus 3:5) ³⁴ »I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come to deliver them. Come, I will send you into Egypt. ³⁵ »This Moses whom they refused, saying: Who made you ruler and judge? God sent him to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.

³³ »Immediately I sent for you. You have done well for you have come. We are all present before God, to hear all things that are commanded to you from God.«

¹¹ The Bereans were nobler than those in Thessalonica because they received the word with all readiness of mind and examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul told them was true.

⁷ Suddenly God’s angel came to him. A light shined in the prison. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up saying: »Get up quickly.« And his chains fell off of his hands. ⁸ The angel said: »Dress yourself and put on sandals. Put on your coat and follow me.« So Peter did as he was told. ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison. He did not know what the angel was doing was really happening. He thought he saw a vision. ¹⁰ They went past the first and second guard to the Iron Gate that leads to the city. The gate opened and went out on the street. The angel then departed from him.

²³ Immediately the angel of God killed him, because he did not give God the glory. He was eaten by worms and died.

³³ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments. His ways are beyond human understanding!

¹ We are justified (acquitted) (made righteous) by faith. And we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵ Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts. It comes through Holy Spirit, which is God’s gift to us. ⁶ While we were yet weak, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die. Perhaps for the good man some one would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates (commends) his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more, now justified by his blood, we will be saved from the wrath of God through him. ¹⁰ While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son. Being reconciled, we will be saved by his life. ¹¹ We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation (restoration) (atonement) (divine favor).

¹³ every man's work will be made known, for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will prove what sort every man's work is. ¹⁴ If a man's work that he built upon lasts, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If a man's work will be burned, he will suffer loss: but he will be saved by fire.

¹⁰ That is why the woman should have a sign of authority on her head because of the angels.

²² Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the congregation of God, and shame them that have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I will not praise you!

³⁰ For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. ³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ³² But when we are judged, Jehovah disciplines us, that we should not be destroyed (condemned) with the world. (Proverbs 3:11)

²¹ I charge you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, that you observe these [principles] without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

⁷ We brought nothing into the world and we can carry nothing out.

⁹ Those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts. These draw men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some by longing for it have been led away from the faith. They have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some by longing for it have been led away from the faith. They have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present system not to be high-minded (arrogant), not to have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for those who will be heirs of salvation?

⁶ »‘You have no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.’

²⁶ If we continue to (practice) (deliberately persist in) sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins.

²⁸ Let us be thankful, because we will receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship (serve) (intensely adore) God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe. ²⁹ Our God is a destroying (consuming) fire.

¹ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. ² Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

² Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and your silver are rusted. Their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up your treasure in the last days.

³ Your gold and your silver are rusted. Their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up your treasure in the last days. ⁴ Behold, the wages of the laborers who harvested your fields, which are held back by you, cry out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of Jehovah of Hosts.

⁴ Behold, the wages of the laborers who harvested your fields, which are held back by you, cry out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of Jehovah of Hosts. ⁵ You lived in luxury on the earth, and take your pleasure; you nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned, and you have killed the righteous one. He does not resist you. ⁷ Be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and late rains.

¹ Put away all badness and all deception, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil talk. ² Like newborn infants, long for the spiritual milk that is without deception to help you grow to salvation.

¹⁹ You know this, my beloved brothers. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

²⁶ If any man thinks he is religious, while he does not control his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain (worthless) (useless).

⁵ Listen, my dearly beloved brothers! Did God choose poor people in the world to be rich in faith and to receive the kingdom he promised to those who love him? ⁶ You have dishonored the poor man. Do the rich oppress you, and personally drag you into court? ⁷ Do they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

¹³ For judgment is without mercy to him who shows no mercy. And mercy triumphs over judgment.

² We all stumble in many things. If any do not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able to restrain (control) the whole body.

¹² Beloved ones do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, for it comes upon you like a test, as though some strange thing were happening to you.

¹⁶ The entire world, the desire of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of material wealth, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

⁶ I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the holy ones, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her I wondered greatly. ⁷ The angel said: »Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

⁸ Watch yourselves that you do not lose the things that we worked to produce. You may receive a full reward.