Page 887 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

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AUGUST 30
8 Let your garments always be white,
And let your head lack no oil.
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love
8:15 enjoyment. In no way does Solomon all the days of your vain life which He has
commend unbridled, rampant indulgence in
sin, which is implied in Christ’s account of the given you under the sun, all your days of vani-
man whose barns were full. That man may ty; for that is your portion in life, and in the
have justified his sin by quoting this passage labor which you perform under the sun.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with
(Luke 12:19).His focus here is on the resolve to
enjoy life in the face of the injustice which sur- your might; for there is no work or device or
rounded him. knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you
are going.
11 I returned and saw under the sun that—
and to see the business that is done on earth, The race is not to the swift,
even though one sees no sleep day or night, Nor the battle to the strong,
then I saw all the work of God, that a man
17 Nor bread to the wise,
cannot find out the work that is done under the Nor riches to men of understanding,
sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet Nor favor to men of skill;
he will not find it; moreover, though a wise But time and chance happen to them
man attempts to know it, he will not be able to all.
12 For man also does not know his time:
find it.
For I considered all this in my heart, so Like fish taken in a cruel net,
9 that I could declare it all: that the righ- Like birds caught in a snare,
teous and the wise and their works are in the So the sons of men are snared in an
hand of God. People know neither love nor evil time,
hatred by anything they see before them. All When it falls suddenly upon them.
2
things come alike to all: 13 This wisdom I have also seen under the
14
One event happens to the righteous sun, and it seemed great to me: There was a lit-
and the wicked; tle city with few men in it; and a great king
To the good, the clean, and the came against it, besieged it, and built great
15
unclean; snares around it. Now there was found in it a
To him who sacrifices and him who poor wise man, and he by his wisdom deliv-
does not sacrifice. ered the city. Yet no one remembered that
As is the good, so is the sinner; same poor man.
He who takes an oath as he who fears 16 Then I said:
an oath.
“Wisdom is better than strength.
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun:
3 Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is
that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts despised,
of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is And his words are not heard.
in their hearts while they live, and after that 17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly,
they go to the dead. But for him who is joined should be heard
4
to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is Rather than the shout of a ruler of
better than a dead lion. fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war;
For the living know that they will die;
5
But the dead know nothing, But one sinner destroys much good.”
For the memory of them is forgotten. 10
And they have no more reward, Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s
ointment,
6 Also their love, their hatred, and their And cause it to give off a foul odor;
envy have now perished; So does a little folly to one respected for
Nevermore will they have a share wisdom and honor.
In anything done under the sun. 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
Go, eat your bread with joy,
7 But a fool’s heart at his left.
And drink your wine with a merry 3 Even when a fool walks along the way,
heart; He lacks wisdom,
For God has already accepted your And he shows everyone that he is a
works. fool.

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