Ecclesiastes 9

Death Comes to Good and Bad

1SoH3588 I tookH5414 allH3605 thisH2088 toH413 heartH3820 and concludedH952 thatH834 the righteousH6662 and the wiseH2450, as well as their deedsH5652, are in God’sH430 handsH3027. ManH120 does notH369 knowH3045 whatH3605 lies aheadH6440, whetherH1571 loveH160 orH1571 hateH8135.

2It is the sameH3605H834 for allH3605: There is a commonH259 fateH4745 for the righteousH6662 and the wickedH7563, for the goodH2896 and the bad,1 for the cleanH2889 and the uncleanH2931, for the one who sacrificesH2076 and the oneH834 who does notH369. As it is for the goodH2896, so it is for the sinnerH2398; as it is for the one who makes a vowH7650, soH834 it is for the one who refusesH3373 to take a vowH7621.

3ThisH2088 is an evilH7451 in everythingH3605 thatH834 is doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121H3588: There is oneH259 fateH4745 for everyoneH3605. FurthermoreH1571, the heartsH3820 of menH1121H120 are full ofH4392 evilH7451 and madnessH1947 while they are aliveH2416, and afterwardH310 theyH413 join the deadH4191.

4There isH3426 hopeH986, howeverH3588, for anyone whoH4310 is amongH977H413 the livingH3605H2416; for evenH3588 a liveH2416H1931 dogH3611 is betterH2896 thanH4480 a deadH4191 lionH738. 5ForH3588 the livingH2416 knowH3045 that they will dieH4191, but the deadH4191 knowH3045 nothingH369H3972. They have noH369 furtherH5750 rewardH7939, becauseH3588 the memoryH2143 of them is forgottenH7911. 6Their loveH160H1571, their hateH8135H1571, andH1571 their envyH7068 have alreadyH3528 vanishedH6, and they will never again haveH369H5750H5769 a shareH2506 in allH3605 thatH834 is doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121.

Enjoy Your Portion in This Life

7GoH1980, eatH398 your breadH3899 with joyH8057, and drinkH8354 your wineH3196 with a cheerfulH2896 heartH3820, forH3588 GodH430 has alreadyH3528 approvedH7521 your worksH4639:

9EnjoyH7200 lifeH2416 withH5973 your belovedH157 wifeH802 allH3605 the daysH3117 of the fleetingH18922 lifeH2416 thatH834 God has givenH5414 you underH8478 the sunH8121—allH3605 your fleetingH1892 daysH3117. ForH3588 thisH1931 is your portionH2506 in lifeH2416 and in your laborH5999 underH8478 the sunH8121. 10WhateverH3605 you findH4672 to doH6213 with your handsH3027, doH6213 it with all your mightH3581, forH3588 in SheolH7585, whereH834 youH859 are goingH1980, there isH8033 noH369 workH4639 or planningH2808 or knowledgeH1847 or wisdomH2451.

11I sawH7200 something elseH7725 underH8478 the sunH8121: The raceH4793H3808 is notH3808 to the swiftH7031, nor the battleH4421 to the strongH1368; neitherH3808 is the breadH3899 to the wiseH2450, norH1571H3808 the wealthH6239 to the intelligentH995, norH1571H3808 the favorH2580 to the skillfulH3045. ForH3588 timeH6256 and chanceH6294 happenH7136 to allH3605. 12ForH3588 surelyH1571 noH3808 manH120 knowsH3045 his timeH6256: Like fishH1709 caughtH270 in a cruelH7451 netH4685 or birdsH6833 trappedH270 in a snareH6341, so menH1121H120 are ensnaredH3369 in an evilH7451 timeH6256 that suddenlyH6597 fallsH5307 upon themH5921.

Wisdom Is Better than Strength

13I have also seenH7200H1571 thisH2090 wisdomH2451 underH8478 the sunH8121, and itH1931 was greatH1419 to meH413: 14There was a smallH6996 cityH5892 with fewH4592 menH582. A mightyH1419 kingH4428 cameH935 against itH413, surrounded itH5437, and builtH1129 largeH1419 siege rampsH4685 against itH5921.

15Now a poorH4542 wiseH2450 manH376 was foundH4672 in the city, and heH1931 savedH4422 the cityH5892 by his wisdomH2451. Yet noH3808 oneH120 rememberedH2142 thatH1931 poorH4542 manH376. 16And IH589 saidH559, “WisdomH2451 is betterH2896 than strengthH1369, but the wisdomH2451 of the poorH4542 man is despisedH959, and his wordsH1697 are notH369 heededH8085.”