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;

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; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all 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. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who 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.

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

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

For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; 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 know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory 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 love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither do they any longer have a portion forever in anything 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 your way—eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already 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 don’t let your head lack oil.

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.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor 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)

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. (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, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance 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 man also doesn’t know his time. As the fish 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 on them.

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

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to 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;

There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks 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.

Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same 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.

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

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 heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

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

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