Amplified Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:10
10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) where you are going.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
- New International Version (NIV)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
Context of Ecclesiastes 9:10
8Let your clothes always be white [with purity], and do not let the oil [of gladness] be lacking on your head. 9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given you under the sun—all the days of vanity and futility. For this is your reward in life and in your work in which you have labored under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) where you are going. 11I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong, and neither is bread to the wise nor riches to those of intelligence and understanding nor favor to men of ability; but time and chance overtake them all. 12For man also does not know his time [of death]; like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds caught in the snare, so the sons of men are ensnared in an evil time when a dark cloud suddenly falls on them.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 9Ecclesiastes 9:10 word by word
כֹּ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּמְצָ֧א יָֽדְךָ֛ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ֖ עֲשֵׂ֑ה כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ וְדַ֣עַת וְחָכְמָ֔ה בִּשְׁא֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה הֹלֵ֥ךְ שָֽׁמָּה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whatsoever thy handיָדyâd · handH3027
- findethמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- with thy mightכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
- no workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
- nor deviceחֶשְׁבּוֹןcheshbôn · explanationH2808
- nor knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
- nor wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- in the graveשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585
- whither thou goestהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:10
- Numbers 13:30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.”
- 1 Chronicles 22:19Now set your heart and your soul to seek (inquire of, require as your vital necessity) the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy articles and utensils of God into the house built for the Name (Presence) of the Lord.”
- 1 Chronicles 28:20Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and take action; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor abandon you [but will guide you in the construction] until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
- 1 Chronicles 29:2So with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, silver for the things of silver, bronze for the things of bronze, iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, as well as onyx stones and stones to be inlaid, stones of antimony (a brittle, silvery-white metal) and stones of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones and alabaster in abundance.
- 2 Chronicles 31:20This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah; and he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God.
- Ezra 6:14And the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building as commanded by the God of Israel and in accordance with the decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
- Nehemiah 2:12Then I got up in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting in my heart to do for Jerusalem, and there was no animal with me except the one on which I was riding [so as not to attract attention].
- Nehemiah 3:1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set up its doors; and they consecrated the wall [westward] to the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.
- Nehemiah 4:2He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the heaps of dust and rubbish, even the ones that have been burned?”
- Nehemiah 13:8It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah’s household furnishings out of the room.
- Psalms 71:15My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your [deeds of] salvation all day long, For their number is more than I know.
- Jeremiah 29:13Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
- Matthew 6:33But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
- John 4:34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to completely finish His work.
- Romans 12:11never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord;
- Romans 15:18For I will not [even] presume to speak of anything except what Christ has done through me [as an instrument in His hands], resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles [to the gospel], by word and deed,
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do - Examine here the What the How, and the Why. I. What is necessary to be done in this life, in reference to another? Turn from sin. Repent. Frequent the ordinances of God, and associate with the upright. Read the Scriptures. Pray for pardon. Believe on the Lord Jesus, that thou mayest obtain it. Look for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Bring forth in their seasons the fruits of it - (1) Repentance, (2) Faith; and (3) The…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Read these six verses connectedly, in order to arrive at the meaning of the writer; and compare Ecclesiastes 2:1-12. After the description Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 of the portionless condition of the dead, the next thought which occurs is that the man who is prosperous and active should simply enjoy his portion all through this life Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; and then Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 follows the correcting thought (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 note)…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 The most despicable living man's state, is preferable to that of the most noble who have died impenitent. Solomon exhorts the wise and pious to cheerful confidence in God, whatever their condition in life. The meanest morsel, coming from their Father's love, in answer to prayer, will have a peculiar relish. Not that we may set our hearts upon the delights of sense, but what God has given us we may use with wisdom. The joy here described, is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10in Sheol: In the Old Testament, Sheol is where the dead reside. It is not always linked to punishment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Whatsoever--namely, in the service of God. This and last verse plainly are the language of Solomon, not of a skeptic, as Holden would explain it. hand, &c.--(Le 12:8, Margin; 1Sa 10:7, Margin). thy might--diligence (De 6:5; Jr 48:10, Margin). no work ... in the grave--(Joh 9:4; Re 14:13). "The soul's play-day is Satan's work-day; the idler the man the busier the tempter" [South].Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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