Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Ecclesiastes 2: 1- 11 ( Pleasure is meaningless)

I thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasures to find out what is good. “ But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly, my mind still guiding with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kind of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers and a harem as well, the delights of the hearts of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all my wisdom stayed before me.

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refuse my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Ecclesiastes 1:13

I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on the human race!

Ecclesiastes 1:7

All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 12:1

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"

Ecclesiastes 3:4

A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance

Ecclesiastes 9:5

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten.

Ecclesiastes 4:9

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:

Ecclesiastes 1:3

What does anyone gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 1:11

There is no remembrance of people of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of every human being.