Ecclesiastes 9

1 For all this did I reflect over in my heart and to explain all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their services, are in the hand of God: that man knoweth neither love nor hatred; it is all [ordained] 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 Every thing as it is to happen to all; there is but one occurrence for the righteous, and for the wicked; for the good and for the clean, and for the unclean; and for him that sacrificeth, and for him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

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 an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one occurrence for all, and that also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and that madness is in their heart while they live, and after this they go 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 For whoever is yet united with all the living hath still hope; for a living dog fareth better than a dead lion.

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 living know that they will die; but the dead know not the least; nor have they longer any reward; for their memory 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 love, and their hatred, and their envy, are now already lost; and they will have never more a portion in all that is done under the sun.

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 Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a merry heart thy wine, if God have already received thy works in favor.

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 oil not be wanting on thy head.

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

9 Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which God hath given thee under the sun, [yea, ] all the days of thy vanity; for this is thy portion in this life, and in thy toil with which thou toilest under the sun.

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 labour wherein you labour under the sun.

10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do with thy might, that do; for there is no work, nor experience, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the nether world, 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 turned about, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the mighty; and that also the wise have no bread, nor yet the men of understanding riches, nor yet men of knowledge favor; but time and fate will overtake 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 favour to men of knowledge; for time and chance will happen to them all.

12 For man also knoweth not his time, like the fishes that are caught in an evil net, and like the birds that are caught in the snare: like these are the sons of men ensnared at an evil time, when it falleth upon 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 Also in this manner have I seen wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

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

14 There was a little city, and the men therein were few; and there came against it a great king, who enclosed it, and built around it great works of siege;

[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 But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he delivered the city by his wisdom; yet no man had thought of that same poor 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, Wisdom is better than might: although the poor man's wisdom is held in contempt, and his words 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 words of wise men heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

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

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner causes much good to be lost.

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