Ecclesiastes 9

1 I have surely giuen mine heart to all this, and to declare all this, that the iust, and the wise, and their workes are in the hand of God: and no man knoweth eyther loue or hatred of all that is before them.

[I saw] that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: yes, there is no man that knows either love or hatred, [though] all are before their face.

2 All things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted, and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner, he that sweareth, as he that feareth an othe.

Vanity is in all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good, and to the bad; both to the pure, and to the impure; both to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifice not: as is the good, so is the sinner: as is the swearer, even so is he that fears an oath.

3 This is euill among all that is done vnder the sunne, that there is one condition to all, and also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill, and madnes is in their heartes whiles they liue, and after that, they goe to the dead.

There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes, the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after that [they go] to the dead.

4 Surely whosoeuer is ioyned to all ye liuing, there is hope: for it is better to a liuing dog, then to a dead lyon.

for who is he that has fellowship with all the living? there is hope [of him]: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 For the liuing knowe that they shall dye, but the dead knowe nothing at all: neither haue they any more a rewarde: for their remembrance is forgotten.

For the living will know that they shall die: but the dead know nothing, and there is no longer any reward to them; for their memory is lost.

6 Also their loue, and their hatred, and their enuie is now perished, and they haue no more portion for euer, in all that is done vnder the sunne.

also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; yes, there is no portion for them any more for ever in all that is done under the sun.

7 Goe, eate thy bread with ioy, and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart: for God nowe accepteth thy workes.

Go, eat your bread with mirth, and drink your wine with a joyful heart; for now God has favourably accepted your works.

8 At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head.

Let your garments be always white; and let not oil be lacking on your head.

9 Reioyce with the wife whom thou hast loued all the dayes of the life of thy vanitie, which God hath giuen thee vnder the sunne all the dayes of thy vanitie: for this is thy portion in the life, and in thy trauaile wherein thou labourest vnder the sunne.

And see life with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which are given you under the sun: for that is your portion in your life, and in your labor wherein you labor under the sun.

10 All that thine hand shall finde to doe, doe it with all thy power: for there is neither worke nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest. (Sheol h7585)

Whatsoever your hand shall find to do, do with all your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Hades wither you go. (Sheol h7585)

11 I returned, and I sawe vnder the sunne that the race is not to the swift, nor the battell to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor also riches to men of vnderstanding, neither yet fauour to men of knowledge: but time and chance commeth to them all.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor yet wealth to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of knowledge; for time and chance will happen to them all.

12 For neither doth man knowe his time, but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net, and as the birdes that are caught in the snare: so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddenly.

For surely man also knows not his time: as fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as birds that are caught in a snare; even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.

13 I haue also seene this wisedome vnder the sunne, and it is great vnto me.

This I also saw [to be] wisdom under the sun, and it is great before me:

14 A litle citie and fewe men in it, and a great King came against it, and compassed it about, and builded fortes against it.

[suppose there were] a little city, and few men in it; and there should come against it a great king, and surround it, and build great mounds against it;

15 And there was founde therein a poore and wise man, and he deliuered the citie by his wisedome: but none remembred this poore man.

and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom: yet no man would remember that poor man.

16 Then said I, Better is wisdome then strength: yet the wisedome of the poore is despised, and his wordes are not heard.

And I said Wisdom is better than power: yet the wisdom of the poor man is set at nothing, and his words not listened to.

17 The wordes of the wise are more heard in quietnes, then the crye of him that ruleth among fooles.

The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of them that rule in folly.

18 Better is wisedome then weapons of warre: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war: and one sinner will destroy much good.