Ecclesiastes 9

1 I had my mind consider all this. Wise and good people and everything they do are in God's hands. Love or hate—who knows what will happen to them?

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.

2 Yet we all share the same destiny—those who do right, those who do evil, the good, the religiously-observant and those that are not, those who sacrifice and those who don't. Those who do good are as those who sin, those who make vows to God are as those who don't.

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.

3 This is just so wrong—that everyone here on earth should suffer the same fate! On top of that, people's minds are filled with evil. They spend their lives thinking about stupid things, and then they die.

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.

4 But the living still have hope—a live dog is better than a dead lion!

For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope, —inasmuch as, a living dog, fared better than a dead lion.

5 The living are conscious of the fact that they're going to die, but the dead have no consciousness of anything. They don't receive any further benefit; they're forgotten.

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.

6 Their love, hate, and envy—it's all gone. They have no further part in anything that happens here on earth.

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.

7 So go ahead and eat your food, and enjoy it. Drink your wine with a happy heart. That's what God intends that you should do.

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.

8 Always wear smart clothes and look good.

Continually, let thy garments be white, —and, ointment upon thy head, let it not be lacking.

9 Enjoy life with the wife that you love—the one God gave you—during all the days of this brief life, all these passing days whose meaning is so hard to understand as you work here on earth.

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.

10 Whatever you do, do it with all your strength, for when you go to the grave there's no more working or thinking, no more knowing or being wise. (Sheol h7585)

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)

11 I thought about other things that happen here on earth. Races are not always won by the fastest runner. Battles are not always decided by the strongest warrior. Also, the wise do not always have food, intelligent people do not always make money, and those who are clever do not always win favor. Time and chance affect all of them.

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.

12 You can't predict when your end will come. Just like fish caught in a net, or birds caught in a trap, so people are suddenly caught by death when they least expect it.

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.

13 Here's another aspect of wisdom that impressed me about what happens here on earth.

Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, —and, of great import, was the same unto me: —

14 Once there was a small town with only a few inhabitants. A powerful king came and besieged the town, building great earth ramps against its walls.

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;

15 In that town lived a man who was wise, but poor. He saved the town by his wisdom. But no one remembered to thank that poor man.

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.

16 As I've always said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Yet the wisdom of that poor man was dismissed—people didn't pay attention to what he said.

Then said, I, Better is wisdom than strength, —although, the wisdom of the poor man, be despised, and, his words, not heard.

17 It's better to listen to the calm words of a wise person than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard, —beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.

18 It's better to have wisdom than weapons of war; but a sinner can destroy a lot of good.

Better is wisdom, than weapons of war, —but, one sinner, may destroy much good.