For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be?
For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow.
For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.
I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust.
My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.
There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he perceives it not.
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.