THE GIFT OF GOD
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
A man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor,
so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires.
Yet, God does not give him power to eat thereof; but a stranger eats it.
Every man to whom God has given riches and wealth,
and has given him power to eat thereof,
and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor--
This is The Gift Of God.
That which I have seen to be good and to be comely is
for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor,
wherein he labors under the sun,
all the days of his life which God has given him.
For this is his portion.
What profit has the laborer from his labors?
I know that there is no good in them,
but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
And also that every man should eat and drink,
and enjoy the good of all his labor.
It is The Gift Of God.
So I commend gladness,
because a man has no better thing under the sun,
than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry.
For this shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life
which God has given him under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.
For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
in the grave, where you are going.
Paraphrase Ecclesiastes 6:1-2; Ecclesiastes 5:19,18; Ecclesiastes 3:9, 12-13;
Ecclesiastes 8:15; Ecclesiastes 9:10
