2067 verses about Work

In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.

In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.

The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.

Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed.

Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

The appetite of the laboring man labors for him; for his mouth urges him on.

A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.

One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.

Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won’t be blessed in the end.

The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.

Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;

If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this”; doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;

so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.

These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”

As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.

Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:

The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.

The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.

There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.

One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

the ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.

She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.

She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.

She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.

She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.

She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.

“Many women do noble things, but you excel them all.”

Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!

What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.

I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared.

I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;

Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.