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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

4 For whoever is yet united with all the living hath still hope; for a living dog fareth better than a dead lion.

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

8 At all times let thy garments be white, and let oil not be wanting on thy head.

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

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.

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)

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)

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 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.

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 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.

13 Also in this manner have I seen wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

I haue also seene this wisedome vnder the sunne, and it is great vnto 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;

A litle citie and fewe men in it, and a great King came against it, and compassed it about, and builded fortes 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 there was founde therein a poore and wise man, and he deliuered the citie by his wisedome: but none remembred this poore 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.

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

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

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

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

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