Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 2

The Emptiness of Pleasure

¹ I said to myself, "Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure;^(a) enjoy what is good." But it turned out to be futile. ² I said about laughter,^(b) "It is madness," and about pleasure, "What does this accomplish?" ³ I explored with my mind how to let my body enjoy life^[a] with wine^(c) and how to grasp folly^(d)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven^[b] during the few days of their lives.^(e)

The Emptiness of Possessions

⁴ I increased my achievements. I built houses^(f) and planted vineyards^(g) for myself. ⁵ I made gardens^(h) and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. ⁶ I constructed reservoirs of water for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.^{(i) 7} I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house.^(j) I also owned many herds of cattle and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.^{(k) 8} I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.^(l) I gathered male and female singers for myself,^(m) and many concubines, the delights of men.^{[c][d] 9} So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem;⁽ⁿ⁾ my wisdom also remained with me. ¹⁰ All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them.^(o) I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles.^{(p) 11} When I considered all that I had accomplished^[e] and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(q) There was nothing to be gained under the sun.^(r)

The Relative Value of Wisdom

¹² Then I turned to consider wisdom,^(s) madness, and folly, for what will the man be like who comes after the king? He^[f] will do what has already been done.^{(t) 13} And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness.^(u)

Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.^{(w) 15} So I said to myself, "What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise?"^(x) And I said to myself that this is also futile. ¹⁶ For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man,^(y) since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise man dies just like the fool? ¹⁷ Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

The Emptiness of Work

¹⁸ I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun^(z) because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.^{(aa) 19} And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?^(ab) Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. ²⁰ So I began to give myself over^[g] to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. ²¹ When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,^(ac) and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. ²² For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts^(ad) that he labors at under the sun? ²³ For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;^(ae) even at night, his mind does not rest.^(af) This too is futile.

²⁴ There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy^[h][i] his work.^(ag) I have seen that even this is from God's hand,^{(ah) 25} because who can eat and who can enjoy life^[j] apart from Him?^{[k] 26} For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,^(ai) but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God's sight.^(aj) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(ak)

Chapter 3

The Mystery of Time

⁹ What does the worker gain from his struggles?^{(i) 10} I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied.^{(j) 11} He has made everything appropriate^[b] in its time.^(k) He has also put eternity in their hearts,^[c] but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end.^{(l) 12} I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the^[d] good life. ¹³ It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts.^{(m) 14} I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it.⁽ⁿ⁾ God works so that people will be in awe of Him.^{(o) 15} Whatever is, has already been,^(p) and whatever will be, already is. God repeats what has passed.^[e]

The Mystery of Injustice and Death

¹⁶ I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.^{(q) 17} I said to myself, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked,^(r) since there is a time for every activity and every work."^{(s) 18} I said to myself, "This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals."^{(t) 19} For the fate of people and the fate of animals is the same.^(u) As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. ²⁰ All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.^{(v) 21} Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? ²² I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities^(w) because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?^[f](x)

Chapter 4

¹ Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun.^(a) Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. ² So I admired the dead,^(b) who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. ³ But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed,^(c) who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

The Loneliness of Wealth

⁴ I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to a man's jealousy of his friend.^(d) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(e)

⁷ Again, I saw futility under the sun: ⁸ There is a person without a companion,^[a] without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.⁽ⁱ⁾ "So who am I struggling for," he asks, "and depriving myself from good?" This too is futile and a miserable task.

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. ¹⁰ For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?^{(j) 12} And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.^{(k) 14} For he came from prison to be king,^(l) even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow^[b] a second youth who succeeds him. ¹⁶ There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(m)