Ecclesiastes 9
1 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.
But all this I have laid to my heart, so as to clear up the whole of this, that the righteous and the wise, and their works, [are] in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred does man know, the whole [is] before them.
2 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.
The whole [is] as to the whole; one event is to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, and to him who is sacrificing, and to him who is not sacrificing; as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner, he who is swearing as he who is fearing an oath.
3 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.
This [is] an evil among all that has been done under the sun, that one event [is] to all, and also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness [is] in their heart during their life, and after it—to the dead.
4 For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope, —inasmuch as, a living dog, fared better than a dead lion.
But [to] him who is joined to all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it [is] better than to the dead lion.
5 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.
For the living know that they die, and the dead do not know anything, and there is no more reward to them, for their remembrance has been forgotten.
6 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.
Their love also, their hatred also, their envy also, has already perished, and they have no more portion for all time in all that has been done under the sun.
7 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.
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a glad heart, for already has God been pleased with your works.
8 Continually, let thy garments be white, —and, ointment upon thy head, let it not be lacking.
At all times let your garments be white, and do not let oil be lacking on your head.
9 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.
See life with the wife whom you have loved, all the days of the life of your vanity, that He has given to you under the sun, all the days of your vanity, for it [is] your portion in life, even of your labor that you are laboring at under the sun.
10 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)
All that your hand finds to do, with your power do, for there is no work, and plan, and knowledge, and wisdom in Sheol to where you are going. (Sheol h7585)
11 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.
I have turned so as to see under the sun, that not to the swift [is] the race, nor to the mighty the battle, nor even to the wise bread, nor even to the intelligent wealth, nor even to the skillful grace, for time and chance happen with them all.
12 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.
For even man does not know his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are taken hold of by a snare, the sons of man are snared like these at an evil time when it falls on them suddenly.
13 Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, —and, of great import, was the same unto me: —
This also I have seen: wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me.
14 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;
A little city, and few men in it, and a great king has come to it, and has surrounded it, and has built against it great bulwarks;
15 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.
and there has been found in it a poor wise man, and he has delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!
16 Then said, I, Better is wisdom than strength, —although, the wisdom of the poor man, be despised, and, his words, not heard.
And I said, “Better [is] wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.”
17 The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard, —beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.
The words of the wise are heard in quiet, More than the cry of a ruler over fools.
18 Better is wisdom, than weapons of war, —but, one sinner, may destroy much good.
Better [is] wisdom than weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroys much good!
