Ecclesiastes 9

1 For 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. No man understands, either love or hatred. All is before them.

So 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.

2 All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous man and to the wicked man, to the good man, and to the clean man, and to the unclean man, to him who sacrifices and to him who does not sacrifice, as is the good man, so is the sinner, and he who swears, as he who fears an oath.

It 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.

3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to 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.

This 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.

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

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

5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything, nor have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

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

6 As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, has perished long ago, nor have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

Their 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.

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

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

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

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

9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou love all the days of thy life of vanity, which he has given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity. For that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor in which thou labor under the sun.

Enjoy 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.

10 Whatever thy hand finds to do, do with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where thou go. (Sheol h7585)

Whatever 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. (Sheol h7585)

11 I 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 happens to them all.

I 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.

12 For man also does not know 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 falls suddenly upon them.

For 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.

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

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

14 There 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.

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

15 Now 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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