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.
For, unto all this, I applied my heart, and, my heart, considered all this, that, the righteous and the wise and their servants, were in the hand of God, —neither love nor hatred, could any man know, every one, was before Him.
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.
Every one, was like every one else, one destiny, had the righteous and the lawless, the good and the pure and the impure, and he that sacrificed, and he that did not sacrifice, —as the good man, so, the sinner, he that took an oath, as he who, of an oath, stood in fear.
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 was a misfortune in all that was done under the sun, that, one destiny, had they all, —yea also, the heart of the sons of men, was full of wickedness, and, madness, was in their heart, while they lived, and, after that, [they went] unto 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.
For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope, —inasmuch as, a living dog, fared 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, knew that they should die, —but, the dead, knew not, anything, neither had they any longer a reward, because forgotten was their memory.
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.
Both their love and their hatred and their envy, already had perished, —and, portion, had they none any longer, unto times age-abiding, in aught that was 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 thy way—eat, with gladness, thy food, and drink, with a happy heart, thy wine, —when already God is well pleased with thy works.
8 Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
Continually, let thy garments be white, —and, ointment upon thy head, let it not be lacking.
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 thy 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 toil wherewith, thou, art toiling 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)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, with thy might, do, —for there is no work nor calculation nor knowledge nor wisdom, in hades, whither, thou, art going. (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 again saw under the sun, that not, to the swift, was the race, nor, to the strong, the battle, nay! nor, to the wise, food, nor yet, to the intelligent, riches, nor, even to the well-informed, comeliness, —for, time and accident, happened to them 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, indeed, man could not know his own time, like fishes which were caught in a cruel net, and like little birds which were caught in a trap, —like them, were ensnared the sons of men, by a time of misfortune, when it fell upon them suddenly.
13 I have also seen wisdom under the sun this way, and it seemed great to me:
Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, —and, of great import, was the same unto 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.
A little city, and men therein few, —and there came against it a great king, and surrounded it, and built against it large siege-works;
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.
but there was found therein, a man, poor [but] wise, and, he, delivered 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.
Then said, I, Better is wisdom than strength, —although, the wisdom of the poor man, be despised, and, his words, not heard.
17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.
The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard, —beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Better is wisdom, than weapons of war, —but, one sinner, may destroy much good.
