HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 964
EC C LES I A S T ES 1 0
18
Better to have wisdom than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much that
is good.
— promises —
from God
God will judge us
for everything we do,
including every
secret thing,
whether good or bad.
E C C L E S I A S T E S 1 2 :14
10
page 594
13
14
No one really knows what is going to
happen;
no one can predict the future.
15
Fools are so exhausted by a little work
that they can’t even find their way home.
16
What sorrow for the land ruled by a
servant,*
the land whose leaders feast in the
morning.
Happy is the land whose king is a noble
leader
and whose leaders feast at the proper
time
to gain strength for their work, not to
get drunk.
17
As dead flies cause even a bottle of
perfume to stink,
so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom
and honor.
1
2
A wise person chooses the right road;
a fool takes the wrong one.
3
You can identify fools
just by the way they walk down the street!
4
If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit!
A quiet spirit can overcome even great
mistakes.
The Ironies of Life
5 There is another evil I have seen under the
sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake
6 when they give great authority to foolish
people and low positions to people of proven
worth. 7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like
servants!
8
9
10
When you dig a well,
you might fall in.
When you demolish an old wall,
you could be bitten by a snake.
When you work in a quarry,
stones might fall and crush you.
When you chop wood,
there is danger with each stroke of
your ax.
Using a dull ax requires great strength,
so sharpen the blade.
That’s the value of wisdom;
it helps you succeed.
11
If a snake bites before you charm it,
what’s the use of being a snake
charmer?
12
Wise words bring approval,
but fools are destroyed by their own
words.
Fools base their thoughts on foolish
assumptions,
so their conclusions will be wicked
madness;
they chatter on and on.
18
Laziness leads to a sagging roof;
idleness leads to a leaky house.
19
A party gives laughter,
wine gives happiness,
and money gives everything!
20
Never make light of the king, even in your
thoughts.
And don’t make fun of the powerful,
even in your own bedroom.
For a little bird might deliver your message
and tell them what you said.
The Uncertainties of Life
1 Send your grain across the seas,
and in time, profits will flow back
to you.*
2 But divide your investments among many
places,*
for you do not know what risks might
lie ahead.
11
3
When clouds are heavy, the rains come
down.
Whether a tree falls north or south,
it stays where it falls.
4
Farmers who wait for perfect weather
never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never
harvest.
5 Just as you cannot understand the path of
the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing
in its mother’s womb,* so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
10:16 Or a child. 11:1 Or Give generously, / for your gifts
will return to you later. Hebrew reads Throw your bread
on the waters, / for after many days you will find it again.
11:2 Hebrew among seven or even eight. 11:5 Some
manuscripts read Just as you cannot understand how
breath comes to a tiny baby in its mother’s womb.