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
A Common Fate
1#Dt 33:3; Ecc 8:14For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the deeds of the righteous and the wise are in the hand of God. No man knows whether love or hate awaits them; both are before him. 2#Job 9:22; Mal 3:5The same fate comes to all: There is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the evil,#Evil from Gk. is missing in some Heb. mss. for the clean and the unclean, for him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice.
As is the good,
so is the sinner;
he who takes an oath
as he who fears an oath.
3#Ecc 1:17; 8:11And this is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that the same event happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are filled with evil, and folly is in their hearts while they have life, and after that they go to the dead. 4But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5#Job 14:21; Isa 26:14 The living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no more reward,
for the memory of them is forgotten.
6What they loved, hated,
and envied has already perished;
and there is no reward for them from long ago
in everything that is done under the sun.
7#Ecc 8:15Go and eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a pleasant heart; for God is already pleased with your deeds. 8#Ps 23:5At all times may your clothing be white, and let not oil ever lack on your head. 9#Ecc 2:10; 6:12Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun; because that is your reward in life and in your toil because you have labored under the sun. 10#Ro 12:11; Col 3:23Whatever your hands find to do, do with your strength; for there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, the place where you are going.
11#Jer 9:23; Ecc 4:1Again I saw under the sun that—
the race is not to the swift,
nor the battle to the strong,
nor food to the wise,
nor riches to the intelligent,
nor favor to those with knowledge;
but time and chance happen to them all.
12#Pr 29:6; 1Th 5:3For man does not know his time:
Like fish caught in an unfortunate net,
like birds caught in a snare,
so the sons of men are ensnared at a tragic, yet appointed time,
when it suddenly falls on them.
The Excellence of Wisdom
13I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me: 14There was a small city with a few men in it; and a great king came and surrounded it, and he built up great siege works against it. 15#Ecc 4:13But a poor, wise man was found there, and he himself in his wisdom delivered the city, but no one remembered that poor man. 16#Ecc 7:19; Pr 21:22Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.”
17The words of the wise heard in quietness are better
than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
18#Jos 7:1; 7:5 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but only one sinner can destroy much that is good.
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