Study Desk

Rivers of water run down from my eyes, Because men do not keep Your law.

My zeal has consumed me, Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.

I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, Because they do not keep Your word.

Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous judgments.

Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.

Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,

Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

The violence of the wicked will destroy them, [fn] Because they refuse to do justice.

Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!

My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked;

Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; But by a man of understanding and knowledge Right will be prolonged.

To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.

For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.