And the LORD God
took the man,
and put him
into the garden
of Eden
to dress it and
to keep it.
Six days
thou shalt do
thy work,
and on the seventh day
thou shalt rest:
that thine ox
and thine ass
may rest,
and the son
of thy handmaid,
and the stranger,
may be refreshed.
Six days
shall work
be done,
but on the seventh day
there shall be
to you an holy day,
a sabbath
of rest
to the LORD:
whosoever
doeth work
therein shall be put
to death.
Six days
thou shalt labour,
and do all
thy work:
He becometh poor
that dealeth with a slack hand:
but
the hand
of the diligent
maketh rich.
He that
gathereth in summer
is a wise son:
but
he that
sleepeth in harvest
is a son
that causeth shame.
He that
tilleth
his land
shall be satisfied
with bread:
but he
that
followeth
vain persons
is void
of understanding.
The hand
of the diligent
shall bear rule:
but the slothful
shall be
under tribute.
The slothful man
roasteth not that
which he
took
in hunting:
but the substance of a
diligent man
is precious.
The soul
of the sluggard desireth,
and hath nothing:
but
the soul
of the diligent
shall be made fat.
Wealth
gotten by vanity
shall be diminished:
but he
that
gathereth by labour
shall increase.
Much food
is in the tillage
of the poor:
but there is
that is destroyed
for want
of judgment.
Where no oxen are,
the crib
is clean:
but much increase
is by the strength
of the ox.
In all labour
there is profit:
but
the talk
of the lips
tendeth only
to penury.
He that
laboureth
laboureth for himself;
for his mouth craveth it
of him.
Love not sleep,
lest thou
come to poverty;
open thine eyes,
and
thou shalt be satisfied
with bread.
The thoughts
of the diligent
tend only
to plenteousness;
but of every one
that is hasty only
to want.
Seest
thou a man diligent
in his business?
he shall stand
before kings;
he shall not stand
before mean men.
Be thou diligent
to know the state
of thy flocks,
and look well
to thy herds.
He that
tilleth
his land
shall have plenty
of bread:
but he
that followeth after vain persons
shall have
poverty enough.
The ants
are a people not strong,
yet they
prepare
their meat
in the summer;
The conies
are
but a feeble folk,
yet make
they their houses
in the rocks;
She looketh
well to the ways
of her household,
and eateth not
the bread
of idleness.
What profit
hath a man
of all his labour
which he
taketh under the sun?
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 labour:
and this
was my portion
of all my labour.
Then I
looked
on all
the works
that my hands
had wrought,
and on the labour
that
I had laboured to do:
and,
behold,
all was vanity
and vexation
of spirit,
and there was
no profit
under the sun.
Therefore I
hated life;
because
the work
that is wrought
under the sun
is grievous
unto me:
for all is vanity
and vexation
of spirit.
Yea,
I hated all
my labour
which I
had taken
under the sun:
because
I should leave
it unto the man
that shall be
after me.
And who
knoweth
whether he
shall be
a wise man
or a fool?
yet shall
he have
rule
over all my labour
wherein I
have laboured,
and
wherein I
have shewed myself wise
under the sun.
This is also
vanity.
Therefore I
went about
to cause my heart
to despair of all the labour
which I
took under the sun.
For there is
a man
whose labour
is in wisdom,
and in knowledge,
and in equity;
yet to a man
that hath not laboured
therein shall
he leave it
for his portion.
This also is vanity
and a great evil.
For what
hath man
of all his labour,
and
of the vexation
of his heart,
wherein he
hath laboured
under the sun?
Whatsoever
thy hand
findeth to do,
do it
with thy might;
for there is
no work,
nor device,
nor knowledge,
nor wisdom,
in the grave,
whither thou goest.
He that
observeth
the wind
shall not sow;
and he
that
regardeth
the clouds
shall not reap.
In the morning sow
thy seed,
and in the evening
withhold not
thine hand:
for thou
knowest not
whether shall prosper,
either this
or that,
or whether
they both
shall be alike good.
Not slothful
in business;
fervent
in spirit;
serving the Lord;
Let him
that stole
steal no more:
but rather let him labour,
working
with his hands
the thing which
is good,
that he
may have to give
to him that needeth.
And
that ye
study
to be quiet,
and to do
your own business,
and
to work
with your own hands,
as we
commanded you;
That ye
may walk
honestly toward
them that
are without,
and that
ye may have
lack
of nothing.
For even
when
we were with you,
this
we commanded you,
that if any
would not work,
neither should
he eat.
For we
hear that
there are
some which
walk
among you disorderly,
working not
at all,
but are busybodies.
Now them
that are such
we command
and exhort
by our Lord Jesus Christ,
that with quietness
they work,
and eat
their own bread.
But
if any
provide not
for his own,
and specially for those
of his own house,
he hath denied
the faith,
and is worse
than an infidel.