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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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Ecclesiastes 9
9
Everyone Dies
1I thought about all these things. I realized that those who are wise and do what is right are under God’s control. What they do is also under his control. But no one knows whether they will be loved or hated. 2Everyone will die someday. Death comes to godly and sinful people alike. It comes to good and bad people alike. It comes to “clean” and “unclean” people alike. Those who offer sacrifices and those who don’t offer them also die.
A good person dies,
and so does a sinner.
Those who make promises die.
So do those who are afraid to make them.
3Here’s what is so bad about everything that happens on this earth. Death catches up with all of us. Also, the hearts of people are full of evil. They live in foolish pleasure. After that, they join those who have already died. 4Anyone who is still living has hope. Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5People who are still alive know they’ll die.
But those who have died don’t know anything.
They don’t receive any more rewards.
And even their name is forgotten.
6Their love, hate and jealousy disappear.
They will never share again
in anything that happens on earth.
7Go and enjoy your food. Be joyful as you drink your wine. God has already approved what you do. 8Always wear white clothes to show you are happy. Anoint your head with olive oil. 9You love your wife. So enjoy life with her. Do it all the days of this meaningless life God has given you on earth. That’s what he made you for. That’s what you get for all your hard work on earth. 10No matter what you do, work at it with all your might. Remember, you are going to the place of the dead. And there isn’t any work or planning or knowledge or wisdom there.
11Here’s something else I’ve seen on this earth.
Races aren’t always won by those who run fast.
Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong.
Wise people don’t always have plenty of food.
Clever people aren’t always wealthy.
Those who have learned a lot aren’t always successful.
God controls the timing of every event.
He also controls how things turn out.
12No one knows when trouble will come to them.
Fish are caught in nets.
Birds are taken in traps.
And people are trapped by hard times
that come when they don’t expect them.
Being Wise Is Better Than Being Foolish
13Here’s something else I saw on this earth. I saw an example of wisdom that touched me deeply. 14There was once a small city. Only a few people lived there. A powerful king attacked it. He brought in war machines all around it. 15A certain man lived in that city. He was poor but wise. He used his wisdom to save the city. But no one remembered that poor man. 16So I said, “It’s better to be wise than to be powerful.” But people look down on the poor man’s wisdom. No one pays any attention to what he says.
17People should listen to the quiet words
of those who are wise.
That’s better than paying attention to the shouts
of a ruler of foolish people.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war.
But one sinner destroys a lot of good.
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