the Third Week after Easter
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
August 6 - Straight Thru the Bible
niv
Ecclesiastes 9-12
Chapter 9
A Common Destiny for All
1 So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.(a) 2 All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,[a] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.
As it is with the good,
so with the sinful;
as it is with those who take oaths,
so with those who are afraid to take them.(b)
3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.(c) The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,(d) and afterward they join the dead.(e) 4 Anyone who is among the living has hope[b]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5 For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;(f)
they have no further reward,
and even their name(g) is forgotten.(h)
6 Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun.(i)
7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine(j) with a joyful heart,(k) for God has already approved what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white,(l) and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife,(m) whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot(n) in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever(o) your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,(p) for in the realm of the dead,(q) where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.(r)
11 I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,(s)
nor does food come to the wise(t)
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance(u) happen to them all.(v)
12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times(w)
that fall unexpectedly upon them.(x)
Wisdom Better Than Folly
13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom(y) that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.(z) 16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.(aa)
17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom(ab) is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
Chapter 10
1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly(a) outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
3 Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone(b) how stupid they are.
4 If a ruler's anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;(c)
calmness can lay great offenses to rest.(d)
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6 Fools are put in many high positions,(e)
while the rich occupy the low ones.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves.(f)
8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;(g)
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(h)
9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.(i)
10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
but skill will bring success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
the charmer receives no fee.(j)
12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(k)
but fools are consumed by their own lips.(l)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—
14
and fools multiply words.(m)
No one knows what is coming—
who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(n)
15 The toil of fools wearies them;
they do not know the way to town.
16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[a](o)
and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
and whose princes eat at a proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.(p)
18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
because of idle hands, the house leaks.(q)
19 A feast is made for laughter,
wine(r) makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not revile the king(s) even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Chapter 11
Invest in Many Ventures
1 Ship(a) your grain across the sea;
after many days you may receive a return.(b)
2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
3 If clouds are full of water,
they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the path of the wind,(c)
or how the body is formed[a] in a mother's womb,(d)
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,(e)
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.
Remember Your Creator While Young
7 Light is sweet,
and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.(f)
8 However many years anyone may live,
let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember(g) the days of darkness,
for there will be many.
Everything to come is meaningless.
9 You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.(h)
10 So then, banish anxiety(i) from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless.(j)
Chapter 12
1 Remember(a) your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(b) come
and the years approach when you will say,
"I find no pleasure in them"—
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;(c)
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home(d)
and mourners(e) go about the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns(f) to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God(g) who gave it.(h)
8 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher.[a](i)
"Everything is meaningless!(j)"
The Conclusion of the Matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.(k) 10 The Teacher(l) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.(m)
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(n)—given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.(o)
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God(p) and keep his commandments,(q)
for this is the duty of all mankind.(r)
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,(s)
including every hidden thing,(t)
whether it is good or evil.
Song of Solomon 1-2
Chapter 1
1 Solomon's Song of Songs.(a)
She[a]
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love(b) is more delightful than wine.(c)
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;(d)
your name(e) is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the young women(f) love you!
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.(g)
Friends
We rejoice and delight(h) in you[b];
we will praise your love(i) more than wine.
She
How right they are to adore you!
5 Dark am I, yet lovely,(j)
daughters of Jerusalem,(k)
dark like the tents of Kedar,(l)
like the tent curtains of Solomon.[c]
6 Do not stare at me because I am dark,
because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother's sons were angry with me
and made me take care of the vineyards;(m)
my own vineyard I had to neglect.
7 Tell me, you whom I love,
where you graze your flock
and where you rest your sheep(n) at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled(o) woman
beside the flocks of your friends?
Friends
8 If you do not know, most beautiful of women,(p)
follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds.
He
9 I liken you, my darling, to a mare
among Pharaoh's chariot horses.(q)
10 Your cheeks(r) are beautiful with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.(s)
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
studded with silver.
She
12 While the king was at his table,
my perfume spread its fragrance.(t)
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh(u)
resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved(v) is to me a cluster of henna(w) blossoms
from the vineyards of En Gedi.(x)
He
15 How beautiful(y) you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.(z)
She
16 How handsome you are, my beloved!(aa)
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.
He
17 The beams of our house are cedars;(ab)
our rafters are firs.
Chapter 2
She[a]
1 I am a rose[b](a) of Sharon,(b)
a lily(c) of the valleys.
He
2 Like a lily among thorns
is my darling among the young women.
She
3 Like an apple[c] tree among the trees of the forest
is my beloved(d) among the young men.
I delight(e) to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.(f)
4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall,(g)
and let his banner(h) over me be love.
5 Strengthen me with raisins,
refresh me with apples,(i)
for I am faint with love.(j)
6 His left arm is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.(k)
7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(l)
by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.(m)
8 Listen! My beloved!
Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
bounding over the hills.(n)
9 My beloved is like a gazelle(o) or a young stag.(p)
Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
"Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;(q)
the blossoming(r) vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me."
He
14 My dove(s) in the clefts of the rock,
in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.(t)
15 Catch for us the foxes,(u)
the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,(v)
our vineyards that are in bloom.(w)
She
16 My beloved is mine and I am his;(x)
he browses among the lilies.(y)
17 Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,(z)
turn, my beloved,(aa)
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag(ab)
on the rugged hills.[d](ac)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
