May 2 Daily Devotional

Ecclesiastes 1–7

In Ecclesiastes the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem, says, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever. The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. All things are full of labor … the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I built me houses; 1 planted me vineyards; I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits; I made me pools of water, to water therewith wood that bringeth forth trees; I got me servants and maidens … I had great possessions of great and small cattle … I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasures of the provinces; I got me men singers and women singers … and musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor … Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought … and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up … a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh … a time to get, and a time to lose … a time to keep silence, and a time to speak … I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men … Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?”