Ecclesiastes 9

1 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.

So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.

2 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.

It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.

3 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.

This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.

4 For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.

5 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.

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.

6 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.

Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.

7 Go your way—eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.

Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:

8 Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil.

Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.

9 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 labour in which you labour under the sun.

Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.

10 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)

Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. (Sheol h7585)

11 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 favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.

12 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.

For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.

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

I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:

14 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.

There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.

15 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.

Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

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

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules amongst fools.

The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools.

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

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