Ecclesiastes 9
Christian Standard Bible
Enjoy Life Despite Death
9 Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: The righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands.(A) People don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. 2 Everything is the same for everyone:(B) There is one fate for the righteous and the wicked,(C) for the good and the bad,[a] 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 also it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who takes an oath, so also for the one who fears an oath. 3 This 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;(D) after that they go to the dead. 4 But there is hope for whoever is joined[b] with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For 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.(E) 6 Their 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.
7 Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.(F) 8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head.(G) 9 Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting[c] life,(H) which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle(I) under the sun. 10 Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength,(J) because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom(K) in Sheol where you are going.
The Limitations of Wisdom
11 Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift,(L) or the battle to the strong,(M) or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. 12 For certainly no one knows his time:(N) like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap,(O) so people are trapped in an evil time(P) as it suddenly falls on them.(Q)
13 I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: 14 There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. 15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city,(R) and he delivered the city by his wisdom.(S) Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength,(T) but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
17 The calm words of the wise are heeded
more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much good.(U)
Ecclesiastes 9
International Standard Version
God’s Sovereignty
9 In light of all of this, I committed myself to explain it this way: the righteous and the wise, along with everything they do, are in the hands of God. Furthermore, as to love and hate, no human being knows everything concerning them. 2 Everyone shares the same experience: a single event affects the righteous, the wicked, the good, the clean, the unclean, whoever sacrifices, and whoever does not sacrifice.
As it is with the good person,
so also it is with the sinner;
as it is with someone who takes an oath,
so also it is with someone who fears taking an oath.
The Universality of Death
3 There is a tragedy that infects everything that happens on earth: a common event happens to everyone. In fact, the hearts of human beings are full of evil. Madness remains in their hearts while they live, and afterwards they join the dead. 4 “While someone is among the living, hope remains,” because “it is better to be a living dog than to be a dead lion.”[a]
5 At least the living know they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they no longer have a reward,
since memory about them has been forgotten.
6 Furthermore, their love, their hate, and their envy
have been long lost.
Never again will they have a part
in what happens on earth.
The Fine Art of Enjoying Life
7 Go ahead and enjoy your meals as you eat. Drink your wine with a joyful attitude, because God already has approved your actions. 8 Always keep your garments white, and don’t fail to anoint your head. 9 Find joy in living with your wife whom you love every day of your pointless life that God[b] gave you on earth, because this is your life assignment and your work to do on earth. 10 Whatever the activity in which you engage, do it with all your ability, because there is no work, no planning, no learning, and no wisdom in the next world[c] where you’re going.
11 I considered and observed on earth the following:
The race doesn’t go to the swift,
nor the battle to the strong,
nor food to the wise,
nor wealth to the smart,
nor recognition to the skilled.
Instead, timing and circumstances meet them all.
12 In addition, no human being knows his time:
Like fish captured in a cruel net,
or as birds caught in a snare,
so also are human beings caught by bad timing
that surprises them.
Wisdom Surpasses Foolishness
13 I also observed this example of[d] wisdom on earth, and it seemed important to me: 14 There was a little city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built massive siege ramps against it. 15 Now there was found within it a poor, but wise man. He delivered the city by his wisdom, but not one person remembered that poor man.
16 So I concluded,[e] “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the poor is rejected—his words are never heard.”
17 The softly spoken words of the wise are to be heard
rather than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
and a single sinner can destroy a lot of good.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 9:4 These are ancient proverbs.
- Ecclesiastes 9:9 Lit. he
- Ecclesiastes 9:10 Lit. in Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead
- Ecclesiastes 9:13 The Heb. lacks example of
- Ecclesiastes 9:16 Lit. said
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