14 (A)The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the (B)same event happens to all of them.

Read full chapter

24 (A)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

Read full chapter

10 For he sees (A)that even the wise die;
    (B)the fool and the stupid alike must perish
    and (C)leave their wealth to others.

Read full chapter

11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and (A)walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Read full chapter

Wisdom Better Than Folly

11 (A)Again I saw that under the sun (B)the race is not to the swift, nor (C)the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and (D)chance (E)happen to them all.

Read full chapter

Death Comes to All

But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, (A)how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are (B)in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. (C)It is the same for all, since (D)the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil,[a] to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who (E)swears is as he who shuns an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that (F)the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and (G)madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:2 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks and the evil

19 (A)For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:19 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)

(A)A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,
    but a fool's heart to the left.
Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
    and he (B)says to everyone that he is a fool.

Read full chapter

16 But I say that (A)wisdom is better than might, though (B)the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

Read full chapter

Keep the King's Command

Who is like the wise?
    And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
(A)A man's wisdom makes his face shine,
    and (B)the hardness of his face is changed.

Read full chapter

It is better to go to the house of mourning
    than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
    and the living will (A)lay it to heart.

Read full chapter

Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy[a] no good—do not all go to the one place?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Or see

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.

Read full chapter

10 More to be desired are they than (A)gold,
    even much (B)fine gold;
(C)sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of (D)the honeycomb.

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends

ESV Study Bible, Black Genuine Leather
ESV Study Bible, Black Genuine Leather
Retail: $114.99
Our Price: $54.99
Save: $60.00 (52%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $26.99
Save: $18.00 (40%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Church Bible (Value Pew Bible) Case of 24
ESV Church Bible (Value Pew Bible) Case of 24
Retail: $311.76
Our Price: $155.76
Save: $156.00 (50%)
ESV Spiral-Bound Journaling Bible, Hardcover, Five-Volume Set
ESV Spiral-Bound Journaling Bible, Hardcover, Five-Volume Set
Retail: $149.99
Our Price: $98.99
Save: $51.00 (34%)
ESV Study Bible, Large Print , Hardcover
ESV Study Bible, Large Print , Hardcover
Retail: $74.99
Our Price: $44.99
Save: $30.00 (40%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars