Ecclesiastes — Chapter 9

1So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.

2It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.

3This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.

4There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.

5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.

6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.

7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:

8Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.

9Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.

10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

11I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.

12For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.

13I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:

14There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.

15Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

16And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

17The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

1For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

2All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

3This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

8Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

9Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

1For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

2All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; [and] he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

4For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun.

7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

8Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack oil.

9Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun.

10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:

14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man`s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

1So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated— no one knows what lies ahead.

2Everyone shares the same fate— the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the ceremonially clean and unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. What happens to the good person, also happens to the sinner; what happens to those who make vows, also happens to those who are afraid to make vows.

3This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: The same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives—then they die.

4But whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.

5For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything; they have no further reward—and even the memory of them disappears.

6What they loved, as well as what they hated and envied, perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth.

7Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.

8Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head.

9Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.

10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.

11Again, I observed this on the earth: The race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest; wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge— for time and chance may overcome them all.

12Surely, no one knows his appointed time. Like fish that are caught in a deadly net and like birds that are caught in a snare— just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.

13This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:

14There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it.

15However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man.

16So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.

17The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

1For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them.

2All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.

3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten.

6Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

7Go your way—eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.

8Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil.

9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.

10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

12For man also doesn’t know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.

13I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

14There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

15Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.