Lo

Precepts from Ecclesiastes

75

O, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

WHO

Ecclesiastes 7: 29

HO is as the wise man ? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

Ecclesiastes 8: I

'HATSOEVER thy hand findeth to do,

WHAT

W do it with thy might.

CAS

Ecclesiastes 9: 10

AST thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Ecclesiastes II: I

REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR

R1

EMEMBER now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened; nor the clouds return after the rain:

76 Remember Now Thy Creator

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened.

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low:

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

9 And, moreover, because the Preacher

Remember Now Thy Creator 77

was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order, many proverbs.

ΙΟ The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

II The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12

A CALL TO REPENTANCE

WASH

WASH you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before.

mine eyes; cease to do evil;

78

A Call to Repentance

17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless; plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah I

THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH

THE people that walked in darkness have

seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son

The Coming of the Messiah 79

is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

A

THE REIGN OF PEACE

Isaiah 9

ND there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4 But with righteousness shall he judge