Ecclesiastes 9

1 I thought about all those things, and I concluded that God controls [what happens to] everyone, even those who are wise and those who are righteous. No one knows whether [others] will love them or whether they will hate them.

Ciertamente a todo esto di mi corazón, para declarar todo esto: Que los justos, y los sabios, y sus obras, están en la mano de Dios: y que no sabe el hombre ni el amor, ni el odio, por todo lo que pasa delante de él.

2 [But we know that some time in the future] we will all die; it does not matter whether we act righteously or wickedly, whether we are good or whether we are bad, whether we are acceptable for [worshiping God] or whether [we have done things to cause us to be] unacceptable; it does not matter if we offer sacrifices [to God] or if we do not; it does not matter if we do what we have promised God that we will do or if we do not; [we all die]. The same thing will happen to good people and to sinful people, to those who solemnly promise [to do things for God] and to those who are afraid to make such promises.

Todo acontece de la misma manera a todos: un mismo suceso tiene el justo y el impío; el bueno, y el limpio, y el no limpio; y el que sacrifica, y el que no sacrifica; como el bueno así el que peca: el que jura, como el que teme el juramento.

3 It seems wrong that the same thing happens to everyone on this earth: Everyone dies [EUP]. Furthermore, people’s inner beings are full of evil. People do foolish things while they are alive, and then they die and join those who are already dead.

Este mal hay entre todo lo que se hace debajo del sol: que todos tengan un mismo suceso; y que también el corazón de los hijos de los hombres esté lleno de mal, y de enloquecimiento en su corazón en su vida, y después, a los muertos.

4 While we are alive, we confidently expect [that good things will happen to us]. [We despise] dogs, but it is better to be a dog that is alive than to be a [majestic] lion that is dead.

Porque para todo aquel que está aun entre los vivos, hay esperanza; porque mejor es perro vivo, que león muerto.

5 We who are alive know that [some day] we will die, but dead people do not know anything. Dead people do not receive any more rewards, and people soon forget them.

Porque los que viven, saben que han de morir: mas los muertos nada saben, ni más tienen paga; porque su memoria es puesta en olvido.

6 [While they were alive], they loved [some people], they hated [some people], they envied [some people], but that all ends when they die. They will never again be a part of anything that happens here on the earth.

Aun su amor, su odio, y su envidia ya feneció; y no tienen ya más parte en el siglo, en todo lo que se hace debajo del sol.

7 [So I say], be joyful [DOU] while you eat your food and drink your wine, because that is what God wants you to do.

Anda, y come tu pan con gozo, y bebe tu vino con alegre corazón; porque tus obras ya son agradables a Dios.

8 Wear nice [MTY] clothes and make your face look nice.

En todo tiempo sean blancos tus vestidos; y nunca falte ungüento sobre tu cabeza.

9 Enjoy living with your wife whom you love, all during the time that God has given to you to be alive here on this earth. And even though it is difficult to understand why many things happen, enjoy doing the work that you do here on this earth.

Goza de la vida con la mujer que amas, todos los días de la vida de tu vanidad, que te son dados debajo del sol, todos los días de tu vanidad; porque esta es tu parte en la vida, y en tu trabajo, en que trabajas debajo del sol.

10 Whatever you are able to do, do it with all your energy, because [some time you will die], and in the place of the dead where you are going, no one works or plans to do anything or knows anything or is wise. (Sheol h7585)

Todo lo que te viniere a la mano para hacer, házlo según tus fuerzas; porque en el sepulcro, donde tú vas, no hay obra, ni industria, ni ciencia, ni sabiduría. (Sheol h7585)

11 I have seen something else here on the earth: The person who runs fastest does not [always] win the race, the strongest soldiers do not [always] win the battle, the wisest people do not [always] have food, the smartest people do not [always] become rich, and people who have studied a lot are not [always] (honored/treated very specially) by others; we cannot [always] control what things will happen to us and where they will happen.

Tornéme, y ví debajo del sol, que ni es de los ligeros la carrera; ni la guerra, de los fuertes; ni aun de los sabios el pan; ni de los prudentes las riquezas; ni de los elocuentes la gracia: mas que tiempo, y ocasión acontece a todos.

12 No one knows when he will die [EUP]; fish are cruelly caught in a net, and birds are caught in snares/traps; similarly [SIM], people experience disasters at times when they do not expect them to happen.

Porque el hombre tampoco conoce su tiempo: como los peces, que son presos en la mala red, y como las aves, que se prenden en lazo; así son enlazados los hijos de los hombres en el tiempo malo, cuando cae de súbito sobre ellos.

13 Once I saw something that a wise man did that impressed me.

También ví esta sabiduría debajo del sol; la cual me es grande:

14 There was a small town, where only a few people lived. The army of a great king came to that town and surrounded it. They built dirt ramps up against the walls in order to climb up and attack the town.

Una pequeña ciudad, y pocos hombres en ella; y viene contra ella un gran rey, y cércala, y edifica contra ella grandes baluartes:

15 In that town there was a man who was poor but very wise. Because of doing what that man [suggested], the town was saved; but people [soon] forgot about him.

Y hállase en ella un hombre pobre, sabio, el cual escapa la ciudad con su sabiduría; y nadie se acordaba de aquel pobre hombre.

16 So I realized that although being wise is better than being strong, if you are poor, no one will appreciate what you do, and people will soon forget what you said.

Entonces yo dije: Mejor es la sabiduría que la fortaleza, aunque la ciencia del pobre sea menospreciada, y sus palabras no sean escuchadas.

17 Speaking quietly what is [very] wise is [much] more sensible than a king shouting to foolish people.

Las palabras del sabio con reposo son oídas, más que el clamor del señor entre los insensatos.

18 Being wise is more useful than [a lot of] weapons; but if you do one foolish thing, [it is possible that] because of doing that, you will ruin all the good things that you have done.

Mejor es la sabiduría que las armas de guerra: mas un pecador destruye mucho bien.