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Ecclesiastes 9:5-18
King James Version
Ecclesiastes 9:5-18
King James Version
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
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Ecclesiastes 9:5-18
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 9:5-18
New International Version
5 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)
6 Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun.(D)
7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine(E) with a joyful heart,(F) for God has already approved what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white,(G) and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife,(H) whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot(I) in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever(J) your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,(K) for in the realm of the dead,(L) where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.(M)
11 I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,(N)
nor does food come to the wise(O)
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance(P) happen to them all.(Q)
12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times(R)
that fall unexpectedly upon them.(S)
Wisdom Better Than Folly
13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom(T) that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.(U) 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.(V)
17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom(W) is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
New International Version (NIV) 
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