The best thing we can do is eat and drink and enjoy what we have earned. And yet, I realized that even this comes from God.

All of us should eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for. It is God's gift.

Here is what I have found out: the best thing we can do is eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for during the short life that God has given us; this is our fate.

Go ahead---eat your food and be happy; drink your wine and be cheerful. It's all right with God.

Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.

Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others.

I have entered my garden, my sweetheart, my bride. I am gathering my spices and myrrh; I am eating my honey and honeycomb; I am drinking my wine and milk. Eat, lovers, and drink until you are drunk with love!

Be grateful for the good things that the LORD your God has given you and your family; and let the Levites and the foreigners who live among you join in the celebration.

say to the LORD, 'None of the sacred tithe is left in my house; I have given it to the Levites, the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows, as you commanded me to do. I have not disobeyed or forgotten any of your commands concerning the tithe.

This is why Jews who live in small towns observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a joyous holiday, a time for feasting and giving gifts of food to one another.

These were the days on which the Jews had rid themselves of their enemies; this was a month that had been turned from a time of grief and despair into a time of joy and happiness. They were told to observe these days with feasts and parties, giving gifts of food to one another and to the poor.

I have never refused to help the poor; never have I let widows live in despair

All my life I have taken care of them.

Put your investments in several places---many places even---because you never know what kind of bad luck you are going to have in this world.

But give what is in your cups and plates to the poor, and everything will be ritually clean for you.

The people of the earth will be happy because of the death of these two. They will celebrate and send presents to each other, because those two prophets brought much suffering upon the whole human race.

The LORD protects and defends me; I trust in him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise him with joyful songs.

The LORD protects his people; he defends and saves his chosen king.

Be glad, Israel, because of your Creator; rejoice, people of Zion, because of your king!

Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.

He touched my lips with the burning coal and said, "This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven."

Then I heard the Lord say, "Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?" I answered, "I will go! Send me!"

A day is coming when people will sing, "I praise you, LORD! You were angry with me, but now you comfort me and are angry no longer.

As fresh water brings joy to the thirsty, so God's people rejoice when he saves them."

The desert will rejoice, and flowers will bloom in the wastelands.

Give strength to hands that are tired and to knees that tremble with weakness.

Jerusalem rejoices because of what the LORD has done. She is like a bride dressed for her wedding. God has clothed her with salvation and victory.

"Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice at what the LORD your God has done for you. He has given you the right amount of autumn rain; he has poured down the winter rain for you and the spring rain as before.

They have been severely tested by the troubles they went through; but their joy was so great that they were extremely generous in their giving, even though they are very poor.

Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away.

But his answer was: "My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak." I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me.

I could, of course, put my trust in such things. If any of you think you can trust in external ceremonies, I have even more reason to feel that way.