Ecclesiastes 10:8 – 11:8 (EHV)

8 A person who digs a pit might fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall might be bitten by a snake.

9 A person who quarries stones may be hurt by them. Someone who splits logs may be endangered by them.

10 If the ax is dull and no one sharpens its edge, the person chopping must apply more strength, but an advantage of wisdom is that it gives success.

11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to having a charmer. [1]

12 Words from a wise man’s mouth bring favor, but a fool’s lips swallow him up.

13 The fool starts out by saying stupid things, but he ends up speaking wicked madness. 14 The fool multiplies words.

No one knows what will be in the future, and who can tell him what will come after him?

15 The hard work of fools wears them out so much that they no longer know their way to town. [2]

16 How unfortunate you are, O land, when your king once was a servant, [3] and your officials overeat in the morning. 17 How blessed you are, O land, when your king is a son of nobles, and your officials eat at the right time—to get stronger, not to get drunk.

18 Because of laziness, roof beams sag. Because of idle hands, the house leaks.

19 Food is made for pleasure. Wine makes life happy, but money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person in your bedroom, for a bird in the skies might carry your voice, or a bird in flight might reveal the matter.

1 Cast your bread on the surface of the water. Then, after many days you will find it again. [4]

2 Put part of your investment into seven or even into eight ventures, for you do not know what disaster might come upon the land.

3 If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, wherever it falls, there it will lie.

4 Whoever keeps watching the wind will never sow, and anyone who keeps looking at the clouds will never reap.

5 Just as you do not know the path of the wind, [5] or how bones form in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.

6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, for you do not know which effort will succeed, this one or that, or if both of them will be equally good.

7 Light is sweet, and it is good for eyes to see the sun.

8 Yes, even if a man lives many years, in all of them let him find joy, but let him keep in mind the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come is vapor.

The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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