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.

For I thought about all this in my mind to understand about the righteous and wise people and their deeds. They are all in God's hands. No one knows whether love or hate will come to someone.

2 It is the same for all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the evil, and to the clean and to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn't sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who swears is as he who fears an oath.

Everyone has the same fate. The same fate awaits righteous people and wicked, the good, the clean and the unclean, and the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As good people will die, so also will the sinner. As the one who swears will die, so also will the man who fears to make an oath.

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.

There is an evil fate for everything that is done under the sun, the same event happens to them all. The hearts of human beings are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live. So after that they go to 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.

For anyone who is united to all the living, there is hope, just as a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

For living people know they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have any reward because their memory is forgotten.

6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

Their love, hatred, and envy have vanished long ago. They will never have a place again in anything 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 your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of celebrating good works.

8 Let your garments be always white, and do not let your head lack oil.

Let your clothes be always white and your head anointed with oil.

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 labor in which you labor under the sun.

Live happily with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of uselessness, the days that God has given you under the sun during your days of uselessness. That is your reward in life for your work under the sun.

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. (Sheol h7585)

Whatever your hand finds to do, work at it with your strength, because there is no work or explanation or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going. (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 favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

I have seen some interesting things under the sun: The race does not belong to swift people. The battle does not belong to strong people. Bread does not belong to wise people. Riches do not belong to people of understanding. Favor does not belong to people of knowledge. Instead, time and chance affect them 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.

Surely, no one knows when his time will come. As fish are caught in a deadly net, or birds are caught in a snare, the children of human beings are ensnared by evil times that suddenly fall upon them.

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

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in a way that seemed 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 siege works against it.

There was a small city with only a few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it and built great 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 in the city was found a poor, wise man, who by his wisdom saved the city. Yet later, no one remembered that same poor man.

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

So I concluded, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.”

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

The words of wise people spoken quietly are heard better than the shouts of any 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 can ruin much good.