HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-ECCLESIASTES.

SELECTION I.

SAID in mine heart, Go to now,

held not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my

labor.

Happiness to be found only in the pursuit of wisdom and in the practice of virtue. I I will prove thee with mirth, that my hands had wrought, and on therefore enjoy pleasure. And, behold, this also is vanity.

2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

7 Then I looked on all the works

the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

wisdom and madness, and folly: and 8 And I turned myself to behold saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excelleth darkness: for

I

God giveth to man what is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth that which in the end shall be postravail, to gather and to heap up This also is vanity and vexation sessed by the upright before God.

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of spirit.

SELECTION II.

There is a time for every thing. To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven :

of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me 2 A time to be born, and a also silver and gold, and the pecul- time to die; a time to plant, and iar treasure of kings and of the prov- a time to pluck up that which is inces: I got me men singers and planted;

women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

5 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

6 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I with

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

6 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

7 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

8 I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men for their discipline: how he hath made every thing beautiful: also hath set the world before them, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

9 I know that, whatsoever God in the ways of thine heart, and in doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it and God doeth it, that men should reverence him.

10 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God restoreth that which

is past.

the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

7 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war.

II Moreover I saw under the sun 8 I saw the wicked buried, who the place of judgment, that wicked- had come and gone from the place of ness was there; and the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in righteousness, that iniquity was the city where they had so done. there and I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time for every purpose and for every work.

SELECTION III.

9 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

10 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be pro

Death, and the just retributions which longed, yet surely I know that it shall certainly follow. shall be well with them that revere But it shall not be well with

CAST thy bread upon the waters: God.

for thou shalt find it after many the wicked, neither shall he prolong days. his days, which are as a shadow; because he revereth not God.

2 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.

II 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 moon, or the stars, be not dark- cause man goeth to his long home, ened, nor the clouds return after the and the mourners go about the rain in the day when the keepers of streets. Or ever the silver cord be the house shall tremble, and the loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, strong men shall bow themselves, or the pitcher be broken at the and the grinders cease because they fountain, or the wheel broken at the are few, and those that look out of cistern; for then shall the dust rethe windows be darkened: and the turn to the earth as it was: and the doors shall be shut in the streets, spirit shall return unto God who when the sound of the grinding is gave it. low, and he shall rise up at the voice 12 Let us hear the conclusion of of the bird, and all the daughters of the whole matter: Revere God, and music shall be brought low. Also keep his commandments: this is the when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: be

whole duty of man: for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-ISAIAH.

SELECTION I.

Formality is hateful to God, and righteousness alone doth he approve.

saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of

EAR, O heavens, and give ear, he goats: Who hath required this at

O earth for the LORD hath

your hand?

spoken, I have I have nourished nourished and 4 Bring no more vain oblations; brought up children, and they have incense is an abomination unto me; rebelled against me: the ox know- the new moons and sabbaths, the eth his owner, and the ass his mas- calling of assemblies, I cannot away ter's crib but Israel doth not know, with; it is iniquity, even the solemn my people doth not consider. meeting.

2 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away back

ward.

5 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me: I am weary to bear them.

6 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many 3 To what purpose is the multi-prayers, I will not hear: your hands tude of your sacrifices unto me? are full of blood.

7 Wash you, make you clean; put ernment shall be upon his shoulders; away the evil of your doings from he shall be called Wonderful, Counbefore mine eyes; cease to do evil; sellor, Mighty God, Everlasting

learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

¶ Anticipations of the ultimate purity, prosperity, and peace of mankind upon the earth.

COME

Father, Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

7 The faithfulness of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

SELECTION II.

Wickedness shall be put down and

now let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool:2 For it shall come to pass in the righteousness finally triumph in the earth. last days, that the LORD's house WOE unto them that call evil good, and good evil: that mountains, and shall be exalted put darkness for light, and light for above the hills; and all nations darkness: that put bitter for sweet, shall flow unto it. and sweet for bitter!

shall be established in the top of the

3 And many people shall say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth his law, and his word from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

:

2 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and lofty in their own sight!

3 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink!

4 Woe unto them that justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despise the word of the Holy One.

4 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. 5 Even the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; 5 Woe unto them that decree unand they that dwelt in the land of righteous decrees, and that write the shadow of death, upon them grievousness which they have prehath a light shined. scribed; to turn aside the needy 6 For unto us shall a child be born, from judgment, and to take away. unto us a son be given; the gov- the right from the poor of my people,

that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

earth: he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the 6 What will ye do in the day of breath of his lips shall he slay the visitation, and in the desolation wicked: righteousness shall be the which shall come from far? to whom | girdle of his loins, and faithfulness will ye flee for help? and where will the girdle of his reins.

ye leave your glory?

7 Ye say, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: I have removed the bounds of the people, have robbed their treasures, and have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

8 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among these fat ones leanness; under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire: behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

10 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them: and the cow and the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

II In that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

12 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salva9 And there shall come forth a rod tion: and in that day shall say, Praise out of the stem of Jesse, a Branch the LORD, call upon his name, deshall grow out of his roots: and the clare his doings among the people, spirit of the LORD shall rest upon make mention that his name is exhim, the spirit of wisdom and under-alted. Sing unto the LORD, for he standing, the spirit of counsel and hath done excellent things: this is might, the spirit of knowledge and of known in all the earth. Cry out and the fear of the LORD; and shall make shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for him of quick understanding in the great is the Holy One of Israel in fear of the LORD: and he shall not the midst of thee. judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the

SELECTION III.

A prophecy of the future glory and perfection of mankind. BEHOLD my servant, whom I

uphold; my chosen, in whom