Fools mock ¹  at reparation, ²  but among the upright there is favor. ³ 

You will be engaged to a woman and another man will rape ¹  her. You will build a house but not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but not even begin to use it.

So the two of them sat down and had a meal together. ¹  Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Why not stay another night and have a good time!” ² 

He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor. ¹  His son Solomon succeeded him.

So remember ¹  your Creator in the days of your youth – before ²  the difficult ³  days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

They were having a good time, ¹  when suddenly ²  some men of the city, some good-for-nothings, ³  surrounded the house and kept beating ⁴  on the door. They said to the old man who owned the house, “Send out the man who came to visit you so we can have sex with him.” ⁵ 

However, the women, little children, cattle, and anything else in the city – all its plunder – you may take for yourselves as spoil. You may take from your enemies the plunder that the Lord your God has given you.

Even when they were in their kingdom and benefiting from your incredible ¹  goodness that you had lavished ²  on them in the spacious and fertile land you had set ³  before them, they did not serve you, nor did they turn from their evil practices.

There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. ¹ 

There ¹  the prisoners ²  relax ³  together; ⁴  they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. ⁵ 

They will not be ashamed when hard times come; ¹  when famine comes they will have enough to eat. ² 

Turn away from evil! Do what is right! ¹  Then you will enjoy lasting security. ² 

Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like, ¹  those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer. ² 

who delight ¹  in doing ²  evil, ³  they rejoice in perverse evil; ⁴ 

May your fountain be blessed, ¹  and may you rejoice ²  in your young wife ³  –

She obtains ¹  wool and flax, and she is pleased to work with her hands. ² 

Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years – even if he lives a long, long time, ¹  but cannot enjoy his prosperity – even if he were to live forever ²  – I would say, “A stillborn child ³  is better off than he is!” ⁴ 

the cedars are the beams of our bedroom chamber; the pines are the rafters of our bedroom.

All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated by the Lord and will boast in him. ¹ 

Then they will say, ‘Under these conditions I can enjoy sweet sleep when I wake up and look around.’” ¹