true happiness

¹²And I realize that there is nothing better than to rejoice, and to do well in this life. ¹³For this is a gift from God: when each man eats and drinks, and sees the good results of his labor.

¹Blessed is the man who has not followed the counsel of the impious, and has not remained in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the chair of pestilence. ²But his will is with the law of the Lord, and he will meditate on his law, day and night. ³And he will be like a tree that has been planted beside running waters, which will provide its fruit in its time, and its leaf will not fall away, and all things whatsoever that he does will prosper. ⁴Not so the impious, not so. For they are like the dust that the wind casts along the face of the earth. ⁵Therefore, the impious will not prevail again in judgment, nor sinners in the council of the just. ⁶For the Lord knows the way of the just. And the path of the impious will pass away.

¹“Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe in me also.

²⁴Until now, you have not requested anything in my name. Ask, and you shall receive, so that your joy may be full.

⁹Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. Blessed is the man who hopes in him.

³The old error has gone away. You will serve peace: peace, for we have hoped in you. ⁴You have trusted in the Lord for all eternity, in the Lord God almighty forever.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, forbearance, ²³meekness, faith, modesty, abstinence, chastity. There is no law against such things.

¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think over you, says the Lord: thoughts of peace and not of affliction, so that I may give you patience and an end.

²⁰The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.

⁴³For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor does an evil tree produce good fruit. ⁴⁴For each and every tree is known by its fruit. For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather the grape from the bramble bush. ⁴⁵A good man, from the good storehouse of his heart, offers what is good. And an evil man, from the evil storehouse, offers what is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. ⁴⁶But why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say? ⁴⁷Anyone who comes to me, and listens to my words, and does them: I will reveal to you what he is like. ⁴⁸He is like a man building a house, who has dug deep and has laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when the floodwaters came, the river was rushing against that house, and it was not able to move it. For it was founded upon the rock.

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. ⁵Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled. ⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied. ⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.

¹I said in my heart: “I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.” And I saw that this, too, is emptiness. ²Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?” ³I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life. ⁴I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards. ⁵I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind. ⁶And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.

¹⁴Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.