Ecclesiastes 9

1 All these things have I considered in my heart, that I might carefully understand them: there are just men and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God: and yet man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or hatred:

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;

2 But all things are kept uncertain for the time to come, because all things equally happen to the just and to the wicked, to the good and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him that offereth victims, and to him that despiseth sacrifices. As the good is, so also is the sinner: as the perjured, so he also that sweareth truth.

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.

3 This is a very great evil among all things that are done under the sun, that the same things happen to all men: whereby also the hearts of the children of men are filled with evil, and with contempt while they live, and afterwards they shall be brought down to hell. (questioned)

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.

4 There is no man that liveth always, or that hopeth for this: a living dog is better than a dead lion.

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

5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing more, neither have they a reward any more: for the memory of them is forgotten.

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.

6 Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy are all perished, neither have they any part in this world, and in the work that is done under the sun.

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.

7 Go then, and eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with gladness: because thy works please God.

Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a merry heart thy wine, if God have already received thy works in favor.

8 At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oil depart from thy head.

At all times let thy garments be white, and let oil not be wanting on thy head.

9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy unsteady life, which are given to thee under the sun, all the time of thy vanity: for this is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherewith thou labourest under the sun.

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.

10 Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening. (Sheol h7585)

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)

11 I turned me to another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skillful: but time and chance in all.

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.

12 Man knoweth not his own end: but as fishes are taken with the hook, and as birds are caught with the snare, so men are taken in the evil time, when it shall suddenly come upon them.

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.

13 This wisdom also I have seen under the sun, and it seemed to me to be very great:

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

14 A little city, and few men in it: there came against it a great king, and invested it, and built bulwarks round about it, and the siege was perfect.

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;

15 Now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man afterward remembered that poor man.

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.

16 And I said that wisdom is better than strength: how then is the wisdom of the poor man slighted, and his words not heard?

Then said I, Wisdom is better than might: although the poor man's wisdom is held in contempt, and his words are not heard.

17 The words of the wise are heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools.

The words of wise men heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18 Better is wisdom, than weapons of war: and he that shall offend in one, shall lose many good things.

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