2067 verses about Work

Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty, there were only twenty.

I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says Yahweh.

‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was laid, consider it.

Yahweh showed me four craftsmen.

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you.

Yahweh of Armies says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal; neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.

but he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondservant from my youth.’

I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says Yahweh of Armies.

You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

So the Most High gave me grace and favor in the sight of Enemessar, and I was his purveyor.

And I went into Media, and left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages of Media.

Achiacharus requested me, and I came to Nineveh. Now Achiacharus was cupbearer, keeper of the signet, steward, and overseer of the accounts. Sarchedonus appointed him next to himself, but he was my brother’s son.

My wife Anna wove cloth in the women’s chambers,

and sent the work back to the owners. They on their part paid her wages, and also geve her a kid.

But she said, “It has been given to me for a gift more than the wages.” I didn’t believe her, and I asked her to return it to the owners; and I was ashamed of her. But she answered and said to me, “Where are your alms and your righteous deeds? Behold, you and all your works are known.”

For if you do what is true, your deeds will prosperously succeed for you, and for all those who do righteousness.

Don’t let the wages of any man who works for you wait with you, but give it to him out of hand. If you serve God, you will be rewarded. Take heed to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be discreet in all your behavior.

He gave him the handwriting, and said to him, “Seek a man who will go with you, and I will give him wages, whiles I yet live; and go and receive the money.”

He said to him, “Do you seek a tribe and a family, or a hired man which will go with your son?” And Tobit said to him, “I want to know, brother, your kindred and your name.”

But tell me, what wages shall I give you? A drachma a day, and those things that be necessary for you, as to my son?

And moreover, if you both return safe and sound, I will add something to your wages.”

It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God. Do good, and evil won’t find you.

Surely I will keep nothing closed from you. I have said, ‘It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God.’

So Holofernes went out from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors, the captains, and officers of the army of Asshur.

Then the king of Egypt rose up against them, and dealt subtly with them, and brought them low, making them labor in brick, and made them slaves.

For he stood over those who bound sheaves in the field, and the heat came upon his head, and he fell on his bed, and died in his city Bethulia. So they buried him with his fathers in the field which is between Dothaim and Balamon.

So they returned from the tent, and went to their stations.

Therefore I your servant, knowing all this, fled away from their presence. God sent me to work things with you, at which all the earth will be astonished, even as many as hear it.

Meanwhile, Mordecai served in the palace.

And the king examined the two chamberlains, and hanged them. Then the king gave orders to make a note for a memorial in the royal records of the good offices of Mordecai, as a commendation.

And he showed them his wealth, and the glory with which the king had invested him, and how he had caused him to take precedence and bear chief rule in the kingdom.

And he found the records written concerning Mordecai, how he had told the king concerning the two chamberlains of the king, when they were keeping guard, and sought to lay hands on Ahasuerus.

And the king said, What honor or favor have we done to Mordecai? And the king’s servants said, You have not done anything to him.

Court not death in the error of your life; Neither draw upon yourselves destruction by the works of your hands:

(For he that sets at nothing wisdom and discipline is miserable;) And void is their hope and their toils unprofitable, And useless are their works:

For good labors have fruit of great renown; And the root of understanding can’t fail.

Because your dominion was given you from the Lord, And your sovereignty from the Most High; Who will search out your works, And will make inquisition of your counsels:

He that rises up early to seek her will have no toil, For he will find her sitting at his gates.

For in his hand are both we and our words; All understanding, and all acquaintance with various crafts.

For she is initiated into the knowledge of God, And she chooseth out for him his works.

And in her friendship is good delight, And in the labors of her hands is wealth that fails not, And in assiduous communing with her is understanding, And great renown in having fellowship with her words, I went about seeking how to take her to myself.

And with you is wisdom, which knows your works, And was present when you were making the world, And which understands what is pleasing in your eyes, And what is right according to your commandments.

Send her forth out of the holy heavens, And from the throne of your glory bid her come, That being present with me she may toil with me, And that I may learn what is well-pleasing before you.

And so will my works be acceptible, And I will judge your people righteously, And I will be worthy of my father’s throne.

When a righteous man was a fugitive from a brother’s wrath, wisdom guided him in straight paths; She showed him God’s kingdom, and gave him knowledge of holy things; She prospered him in his toils, and multiplied the fruits of his labor;

She prospered their works in the hand of a holy prophet.

For living among his works they make diligent search, And they yield themselves up to sight, because the things that they look upon are beautiful.

Yes and if some woodcutter, having sawn down a tree that is easily moved, Skilfully strippeth away all its bark, And fashioning it in comely form makes a vessel useful for the service of life;

And burning the refuse of his handywork to dress his food, eats his fill;

And for gaining and getting and good success of his hands He asks ability of that which with its hands is most unable.

For that vessel the hunger for gains devised, And a craftsman, even wisdom, built it;

For a potter, kneading soft earth, Laboriously mouldeth each several vessel for our service: Nay, out of the same clay does he fashion Both the vessels that minister to clean uses, and those of a contrary sort, All in like manner; But what shall be the use of each vessel of either sort, The craftsman himself is the judge.

Howbeit he has anxious care, Not because his powers must fail, Nor because his span of life is short; But he matcheth himself against goldsmiths and silversmiths, And he imitateth moulders in brass, And esteemeth it glory that he mouldeth counterfeits.

For the whole world beside was enlightened with clear light, And was occupied with unhindered works;

Whereas these first welcomed with feastings, And then afflicted with dreadful toils, Them that had already shared with them in the same rights.

She will fill all her house with desirable things, And her garners with her produce.

My son, go on with your business in meekness; So will you be beloved of an acceptable man.

Be not over busy in your superfluous works: For more things are showed to you than men can understand.

Be not hasty in your tongue, And in your deeds slack and remiss.

Come to her as one that plows and sows, And wait for her good fruits; For your toil will be little in the tillage of her, And you will eat of her fruits right soon.

Hate not laborious work; Neither husbandry, which the Most High has ordained.

Entreat not evil a servant that works truly, Nor a hireling that gives you his life.

Let your soul love a wise servant; Defraud him not of liberty.

Hast you cattle? have an eye to them; And if they are profitable to you, let them stay by you.

For the hand of the artificers a work will be commended: And he that rules the people will be counted wise for his speech.

In the hand of the Lord is the authority of the earth; And in due time he will raise up over it one that is profitable.

In the hand of the Lord is the prosperity of a man; And upon the person of the scribe will he lay his honor.

Free men will minister to a wise servant; And a man that has knowledge will not murmur thereat.

Be not over wise in doing your work; And glorify not yourself in the time of your distress.

Better is he that labores, and abounds in all things, Than he that glorifieth himself, and lacketh bread.

The bee is little among such as fly; And her fruit is the chief of sweetmeats.

Glory not in the putting on of raiment, And exalt not yourself in the day of honor; For the works of the Lord are wonderful, And his works are hidden among men.

My son, be not busy about many matters: For if you meddle much, you will not be unpunished; And if you pursue, you will not overtake; And you will not escape by fleeing.

There is one that toileth, and labores, and makes haste, And is so much the more behind.

There is that waxes rich by his wariness and pinching, And this is the portion of his reward:

Be stedfast in your covenant, and be conversant therein, And wax old in your work.

Marvel not at the works of a sinner; But trust the Lord, and abide in your labor: For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord swiftly on the sudden to make a poor man rich.

Say not, What use is there of me? And what from henceforth will my good things be?

If you do good, know to whom you do it; And your good deeds will have thanks.

If you be profitable, he will make merchandise of you; And if you be in lack, he will forsake you.

My son, according as you have, do well to yourself, And bring offerings to the Lord worthily.

Shall you not leave your labors to another? And your toils to be divided by lot?

Every work rots and falls away, And the worker thereof shall depart with it.

And his eyes are upon those who fear him; And he will take knowledge of every work of man.

As his mercy is great, so is his correction also: He judges a man according to his works.

He will make room for every work of mercy; Each man will find according to his works.

In the judgement of the Lord are his works from the beginning; And from the making of them he disposed the parts thereof.

He garnished his works forever, And the beginnings of them to their generations: They neither hunger, nor are weary, And they cease not from their works.

He gave them days by number, and a set time, And gave them authority over the things that are thereon.

And they will praise the name of his holiness, That they may declare the majesty of his works.

As for the wondrous works of the Lord, it is not possible to take from them nor add to them, Neither is it possible to track them out.

When a man has finished, then he is but at the beginning; And when he ceaseth, then will he be in perplexity.

A workman that is a drunkard will not become rich: He that despises small things will fall by little and little.

He that tils his land will raise his heap high; And he that pleases great men will get pardon for iniquity.

A slothful man is compared to a stone that is defiled; And every one will hiss him out in his disgrace.

A slothful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill: Every man that takes it up will shake out his hand.

He that obeys me will not be ashamed; And those who work in me will not do amiss.

Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, But for all those who diligently seek her.

In your youth you have not gathered, And how should you find in your old age?