Ecclesiastes 9
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. 2All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath. 3This 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. 4For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten. 6Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither do they any longer have a portion forever in anything that is 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. 8Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil. 9Live 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 labour in which you labour under the sun. 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol,#9:10 Sheol is the place of the dead. where you are going.
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 favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. 12For 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.
13 I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me. 14There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. 15Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. 16Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. 17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules amongst fools. 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.
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Ecclesiastes 9
9
Enjoy Life Despite Death
1Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. # Dt 33:3People don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. 2Everything is the same for everyone: # Jb 9:22 there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, # Ec 2:14 for the good and the bad, # LXX, Aq, Syr, Vg; MT omits and the bad for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath. 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live # Ec 1:17 — after that they go to the dead. 4But there is hope for whoever is joined # Alt Hb tradition reads chosen with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. # Ec 2:16 6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun.
7Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. # Ec 2:24; 3:13; 5:18; 8:15 8Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. # Ps 23:5 9Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting # Or futile life, # Ec 6:12; 7:15 which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle # Ec 2:10 under the sun. 10Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, # Rm 12:11; Col 3:23 because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom # Ec 9:5 in Sheol where you are going.
The Limitations of Wisdom
11Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, # Am 2:14-15 or the battle to the strong, # 2Ch 20:15 or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. 12For man certainly does not know his time: # Ec 8:7 like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, # Pr 7:23 so people are trapped in an evil time # Pr 29:6 as it suddenly falls on them. # Lk 21:34-35
13I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: 14There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. 15Now a poor wise man was found in the city, # Ec 4:13 and he delivered the city by his wisdom. # 2Sm 20:22 Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, # Ec 7:19 but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
17The calm words of the wise are heeded
more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much good. # Jos 7:1
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