Ecclesiastes 9:1-4

New American Standard Bible

People Are in the Hand of God

9 For I have taken all this to my heart, even to ^[a]examine ^[b]it all, that righteous people, wise people, and their deeds are ^(A)in the hand of God. ^(B)People do not know whether it will be ^(C)love or hatred; anything ^[c]awaits them.

^2 (D)It is the same for all. There is ^(E)one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and the unclean; for the person who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good person is, so is the sinner; the one who swears an oath is just as the one who ^[d]is afraid to swear an oath. ³ This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun, that there is ^(F)one fate for everyone. Furthermore, ^(G)the hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and ^(H)insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterward they go to the dead. ⁴ For whoever is joined to all the living, there is hope; for better a live dog, than a dead lion.