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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Ecclesiastes 9
9
The Same Fate—Death—Awaits Everyone
1So all this I laid to my heart, and I concluded#Or “examined” that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in the hand of God. So no one knows anything that will come to them, whether it will be love or hatred. 2The same fate comes to everyone:
to the righteous and to the wicked,
to the good and to the wicked,#Several versions (Greek, Syriac, Latin) insert “and to the bad”
to the clean and to the unclean,
to those who sacrifice and to those who do not sacrifice.
As with the good man, so also to the sinner;
as with those who swear an oath, so also those who fear oaths.
3This is the injustice#Literally “evil” that is done under the sun:
the same fate comes to everyone.
Also the hearts of humans#Literally “the sons of the man” are full of evil;
delusion is in their hearts during their lives, and then they die.
Death Deprives Humans of Everything in Life
4Whoever is joined#The Kethib reads “chosen,” but the Qere as well as all the versions and numerous medieval Hebrew manuscripts read “joined” to all the living has hope. After all, even a live dog is better than a dead lion! 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have a reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. 6What they loved and hated, as well as what they desired, has already perished. They no longer have any share in what is done under the sun.
Enjoy Life While It Lasts
7Go—eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart! For God already has approved your deeds. 8Always be clothed in white garments, and never let your head lack oil! 9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which he gives you under the sun, because this is your lot in life and in the toil with which you toil under the sun. 10Whatever your hand finds to do—do it with all your might; for in Sheol—where you are going—no one works, plans, knows, or thinks about anything.
The Injustice of Time and Chance
11I looked again and saw under the sun that the race does not belong to the swift, the battle does not belong to the mighty, food does not belong to the wise, wealth does not belong to the intelligent, and success#Or “favor” does not belong to the skillful, for time and chance befalls all of them. 12For man does not know his time. Just as fish are caught in a cruel net and like birds who are seized in a snare, so also humans#Literally “the sons of the man” are ensnared at a cruel time when it falls suddenly upon them.
Wisdom—Although Vulnerable—is Superior to Power
13I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14There was a small city with few people in it. A great king came and besieged it, building great siege works against it. 15Now, a poor wise man was found in it, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. 16So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.
Wisdom—Although Vulnerable—is Superior to Folly
17The words of the wise are heard in peace
more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among the fools.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
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