Thematic Bible: Worldly Amusements and pleasures


Thematic Bible




Hear now therefore, thou willful, that sittest so careless, and speakest thus in thine heart, "I am alone, and without me is there none; I shall never be widow, nor desolate again."

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other gentiles walk; in vanity of their mind,





And they rose up in the morning and offered burnt offerings, and brought offerings of atonement also. And then they sat them down to eat and drink, and rose up again to play.

And he received them of their hands and fashioned it with a graver and made it a calf of molten metal. And they said, "This is thy God, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt."



Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together, for to offer a solemn offering unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, "Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hands." And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, "Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, that destroyed our country and slew many of us." And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Send for Samson and let him play before us." And they fetched Samson out of the prison house, and he played before them, and they set him between the pillars.


Then said I thus in my heart, "Now go to, I will take mine ease and have good days." But lo, that was vanity also:

I gathered silver and gold together, even a treasure of kings and lands. I provided me singers and women which could play of instruments, to make man mirth and pastime. I gat me drinking cups also and glasses.


Be glad then, O thou young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart be merry in thy young days; follow the ways of thine own heart, and the lust of thine eyes: but be thou sure, that God shall bring thee into judgment for all these things.

and receive the reward of unrighteousness. They count it pleasure to live deliciously for a season. Spots they are, and filthiness, living at pleasure, and in deceitful ways feasting with you:



envying, murder, drunkenness, gluttony, and such like. Of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which commit such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.


In those companies are harps and lutes, tabrets and pipes, and wine. But they regard not the work of the LORD, and consider not the operation of his hands.

O Woe be to the proud wealthy in Zion, to such as think them so sure upon the mount of Samaria: which hold themselves for the best of the world, and rule the house of Israel, even as they list. Go unto Calneh, and see: and from thence get you to Hamath the great city, and so go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better at ease than these kingdoms, or the border of their land wider than yours? Ye are taken out for the evil day, even ye that sit in the stole of willfulness; read more.
Ye that lie upon beds of ivory, and use your wantonness upon your couches; ye that eat the best lambs of the flock, and the fattest calves of the drove; ye that sing to the lute, and in playing of instruments compare yourselves unto David; ye that drink wine out of goblets, and anoint yourselves with the best oil: but no man is sorry for Joseph's hurt.


And it fortuned that when they had passed over the time of their banqueting round about; Job sent for them, and sanctified them, and gat up early, and offered for every one a burnt offering. For Job thought thus: "Peradventure my sons have done some offense, and have been unthankful to God in their hearts." And thus did Job everyday.

But when Herod's birthday was come, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Wherefore he promised with an oath, that he would give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being informed of her mother before, said, "Give me here John Baptist's head in a platter."





It is better to go into a house of mourning, than into a banquet house: For there is the end of all men, and he that is living taketh it to heart. It is better to be sorry than to laugh, for when the countenance is heavy the heart is joyful.


But when I considered all the works that my hands had wrought, and all the labours that I had taken therein: Lo, all was vanity and vexation of mind, and nothing of any value under the Sun.


The heart of the wise is in the mourning house; but the heart of the foolish is in the house of mirth.






Woe unto them that rise up early to use themselves in drunkenness, and yet at night are more superfluous with wine. In those companies are harps and lutes, tabrets and pipes, and wine. But they regard not the work of the LORD, and consider not the operation of his hands.






They say unto God, 'Go from us: we desire not the knowledge of thy ways! What manner of fellow is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, to submit ourselves unto him?'


They bear with them tabrets and harps, and have instruments of music at their pleasure. They spend their days in wealthiness: but suddenly, they go down to hell.




And it seemeth to them a strange thing that ye run not also with them unto the same excess of riot, and therefore speak they evil of you,