For better is the poor that walketh in his in tegrity, Than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Two things have I asked of the Lord; Feed me with the food that is needful for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, And say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God. Than great revenues with injustice. Yea, there is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: And there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth. ECCLESIASTES XI Cast thy bread upon the waters: For thou shalt find it after many days. When the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth: And if a tree fall toward the south or toward the north, In the place where the tree falleth, there will it lie. Whoso observeth the wind shall not sow; And he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, Nor how the clouds are formed in the heaven: Even so thou knowest not the power of God who worketh all things. In the morning therefore sow thy seed, Or whether they both shall be alike good. And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun: Let a man rejoice in them all; Yet let him remember the days of darkness; Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, And put away evil from thy flesh. Fear God, and keep his commandments: ECCLESIASTES XII Remember 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; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, Nor the clouds return after the rain: 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, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, And he shall rise up at the voice of a bird, And all the daughters of music shall be brought low; Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, And terrors shall be in the way; And the almond tree shall blossom, And the grasshopper shall drag itself along, Because man goeth to his long home, Or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. THE BOOK OF ISAIAH ISAIAH I Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! I have nourished and brought up children, And the ass his master's crib; Hear therefore the word of the Lord; saith the Lord: your sacrifices? I have had enough of burnt-offerings, and the fat of fed beasts; And I delight not in the blood of lambs or of goats. When ye come to appear before me, Who hath required this at your hands, to trample my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting! Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; They are a trouble unto me; And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes; Yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: For your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean! Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; Cease to do evil, learn to do well; Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow:" For these are the things that I delight in, saith the Lord. ISAIAH II, XXXII Behold, it shall come to pass in the latter days, And all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say: To the house of the God of Jacob; For out of Zion shall go forth the law, |