Ecclesiastes 9
New Living Translation
Death Comes to All
9 This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 2 The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad,[a] ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.
3 It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. 4 There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”
5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. 6 Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth. 7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!
9 Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. 10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave,[b] there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
11 I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.
12 People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.
Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly
13 Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. 14 There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. 15 A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. 16 So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long.
17 Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person
than the shouts of a foolish king.
18 Better to have wisdom than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
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
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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