Ecclesiastes 9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Take Life as It Comes
9 All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. Everything that confronts them 2 is vanity,[a] since the same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil,[b] to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those who swear are like those who shun an oath.(A) 3 This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of humans are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.(B) 4 But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost.(C) 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.(D)
7 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has long ago approved what you do.(E) 8 Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head.(F) 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun,[c] because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.(G) 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.(H)
11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful, but time and chance happen to them all.(I) 12 For no one can anticipate one’s time. Like fish taken in a cruel net or like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them.(J)
Wisdom Superior to Folly
13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14 There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.(K) 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.”(L)
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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