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The Problem of Retribution. 16 (A)And still under the sun in the judgment place I saw wickedness, and wickedness also in the seat of justice.

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16 And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
    in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

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Gain and Loss of Goods. (A)If you see oppression of the poor, and violation of rights and justice in the realm, do not be astonished by the fact, for the high official has another higher than he watching him and above these are others higher still—.

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Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.(A)

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For whoever is chosen among all the living has hope: “A live dog[a] is better off than a dead lion.” (A)For the living know that they are to die, but the dead no longer know anything. There is no further recompense for them, because all memory of them is lost.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:4–6 A live dog…no further recompense: human reason and experience persuaded Qoheleth that death with its finality and annihilating power cruelly negates the supreme value—life, and with it, all possibilities (cf. v. 10). Faith in eternal life has its foundation only in hope and trust in God’s promise and in God’s love.

Anyone who is among the living has hope[a]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

For the living know that they will die,
    but the dead know nothing;(A)
they have no further reward,
    and even their name(B) is forgotten.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:4 Or What then is to be chosen? With all who live, there is hope