31 1 The sayings of King Lemuel, a prophetic revelation, used by his mother to discipline him.

Advice to a Prince 2 "What, my son?

What, son to whom I gave birth?

What, son of my prayers?

3 Don't give your strength to women or your power to those who ruin kings.

4 "It is not for kings, Lemuel.

It is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to crave liquor.

5 Otherwise, they drink and forget what they have decreed and change the standard of justice for all oppressed people.

6 Give liquor to a person who is dying and wine to one who feels resentful.

7 Such a person drinks and forgets his poverty and does not remember his trouble anymore.

8 "Speak out for the one who cannot speak, for the rights of those who are doomed.

9 Speak out, judge fairly, and defend the rights of oppressed and needy people."

A Poem in Hebrew Alphabetical Order 10 "Who can find a wife with a strong character?

She is worth far more than jewels.

11 Her husband trusts her with all his heart, and he does not lack anything good.

12 She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life.

13 "She seeks out wool and linen with care and works with willing hands.

14 She is like merchant ships.

She brings her food from far away.

15 She wakes up while it is still dark and gives food to her family and portions of food to her female slaves.

16 "She picks out a field and buys it.

She plants a vineyard from the profits she has earned.

17 She puts on strength like a belt and goes to work with energy.

18 She sees that she is making a good profit.

Her lamp burns late at night.

19 "She puts her hands on the distaff, and her fingers hold a spindle.

20 She opens her hands to oppressed people and stretches them out to needy people.

21 She does not fear for her family when it snows because her whole family has a double layer of clothing.

22 She makes quilts for herself.

Her clothes are made of linen and purple cloth.

23 "Her husband is known at the city gates when he sits with the leaders of the land.

24 "She makes linen garments and sells them and delivers belts to the merchants.

25 She dresses with strength and nobility, and she smiles at the future.

26 "She speaks with wisdom, and on her tongue there is tender instruction.

27 She keeps a close eye on the conduct of her family, and she does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children and her husband stand up and bless her.

In addition, he sings her praises, by saying, 29 'Many women have done noble work, but you have surpassed them all!'

30 "Charm is deceptive, and beauty evaporates, but a woman who has the fear of Yahweh should be praised.

31 Reward her for what she has done, and let her achievements praise her at the city gates."

a 2:22 Or "will be swept away."

a 3:6 Or "straight."

b 3:9 Or "harvest."

a 5:19 Or "graceful goat."

a 6:33 Or "wounds."

a 7:22 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

b 8:5 English equivalent difficult.

a 8:30 Hebrew meaning of "master craftsman" uncertain.

a 9:13 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.

a 11:25 Or "and whoever gives someone a drink will also get a drink."

a 12:6 Or "mouths."

b 12:12 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.

a 12:27 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

b 12:27 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

c 13:15 Masoretic Text; Greek "is their disaster."

a 14:16 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

a 14:33 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

a 17:8 Or "who receives it."

a 18:24 Or "A person has friends as companions."

a 19:23 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

a 20:4 Fall was the start of the planting season in Palestine.

a 20:20 Or "snuffed out as darkness approaches."

b 21:8 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.

a 25:27 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

a 27:6 Hebrew meaning of "are too much to bear" uncertain.

a 27:9 Or "is sincere advice."

b 27:16 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

c 27:22 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

a 29:6 Hebrew meaning of "runs away from it" uncertain.

b 29:21 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

a 30:3 Or "holy ones."

a 30:12 Blunt Hebrew term but not considered vulgar.

a 30:31 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

b 30:31 Hebrew meaning of "at the head of his army" uncertain.

c 30:33 In Hebrew there is a play on words in verse 33 where the same verb is used to express all three actions.

Introduction to ECCLESIASTES.

No one knows who wrote Ecclesiastes. Tradition says it was King Solomon, but "son of David" could mean anyone in David's royal line. The title comes from the Greek word ekklesia, "the assembly." The spokesman (ekklesiastes), sometimes translated as the "preacher" or the "teacher," is addressing a gathering.

What can we tell about the spokesman from reading the book? He sounds like an old man who has searched for meaning in many different ways. Now realizing that he won't live forever, he looks back over his life in order to help younger people get their priorities straight. Like the author of the book of Job, the spokesman observes that a good life does not necessarily bring a person what he most desires. Like the authors of the book of Proverbs, he repeatedly advises his listeners to fear-that is, to respect and obey-God. But in the end, he says, nothing will matter.

"Absolutely pointless!" the spokesman says over and over again. "Everything is pointless." Pleasure. Accomplishments. Riches. Hard work. Honor. Even the pursuit of wisdom. People spend their lives on these things, always deferring enjoyment until after they have achieved their goals-and then they die. And the sun keeps on rising and setting, and the next generation forgets all about them.

And yet the book of Ecclesiastes is not just about death and futility. It is also about happiness. Instead of "trying to catch the wind" by pursuing pointless goals, the spokesman recommends contentment with what we already have. "There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work," he says (2:24). Our possessions are a gift from God, and God also gives us "the power to enjoy them" (5:19). "So I recommend the enjoyment of life. People have nothing better to do under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves" (8:15). And don't wait too long to do this, he warns: "You young people should enjoy yourselves while you're young" (11:9).

The book closes with a haunting poem that begins, "Remember your Creator when you are young" (12:1). God has given us a beautiful world, and only a few years in which to appreciate it. Ecclesiastes reminds us to pay attention to the good things we have right now, and to thank God for them.

Key Name of God in Ecclesiastes Elohim God ECCLESIASTES.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.

11 12.

Introducing the Spokesman 1 1 The words of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem.

The Theme 2 "Absolutely pointless!" says the spokesman. "Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless."

Life Is an Endless Circle 3 What do people gain from all their hard work under the sun?

4 Generations come, and generations go, but the earth lasts forever.

5 The sun rises, and the sun sets, and then it rushes back to the place where it will rise again.

6 The wind blows toward the south and shifts toward the north.

Round and round it blows. It blows in a full circle.

7 All streams flow into the sea, but the sea is never full.

The water goes back to the place where the streams began in order to start flowing again.

8 All of these sayings are worn-out phrases. They are more than anyone can express, comprehend, or understand.

9 Whatever has happened before will happen again. Whatever has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. 10 Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us. 11 Nothing from the past is remembered. Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us.

The Spokesman Begins to Study Everything under Heaven 12 I, the spokesman, have been king of Israel in Jerusalem. 13 With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven.