Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Qohelet says to guard one’s speech and to accept the realities of financial disparity. He reflects upon greed and says to enjoy life.
II. Photo
A lesson about greed: “A lover of money never has his fill of money, nor a lover of wealth his fill of income.” (v. 9)
III. Select Verses
1: Keep your mouth from being rash, and let not your throat be quick to bring forth speech before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; that is why your words should be few.
3-4: When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. For He has no pleasure in fools; what you vow, fulfill. It is better not to vow at all than to vow and not fulfill.
7: If you see in a province oppression of the poor and suppression of right and justice, don’t wonder at the fact; for one high official is protected by a higher one, and both of them by still higher ones.
9-10: A lover of money never has his fill of money, nor a lover of wealth his fill of income. That too is futile. As his substance increases, so do those who consume it; what, then, does the success of its owner amount to but feasting his eyes?
17: Only this, I have found, is a real good: that one should eat and drink and get pleasure with all the gains he makes under the sun, during the numbered days of life that God has given him; for that is his portion.
IV. Outline
1-6. Watch your words
7-8. Financial disparity
9-16. Greedy toil
17-19. Enjoy life
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes (Anchor Yale Bible 18C; New Haven: Yale, 1997).
Photo copied from http://image.tsn.ua/media/images/original/May2011/383425087.jpg
