12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

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12 You have all seen this yourselves.
    Why then this meaningless talk?

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For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

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A Common Destiny for All

So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.(A) All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,[a] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.

As it is with the good,
    so with the sinful;
as it is with those who take oaths,
    so with those who are afraid to take them.(B)

This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.(C) The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,(D) and afterward they join the dead.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:2 Septuagint (Aquila), Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew does not have and the bad.

14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

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14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.(A) This too, I say, is meaningless.(B)

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How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

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“How you have helped the powerless!(A)
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!(B)
What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight(C) you have displayed!
Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?(D)

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28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

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28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,(A)
    the tents where the wicked lived?’(B)
29 Have you never questioned those who travel?
    Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,(C)
    that they are delivered from[a] the day of wrath?(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 21:30 Or wicked are reserved for the day of calamity, / that they are brought forth to

Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

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Bear with me while I speak,
    and after I have spoken, mock on.(A)

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How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.

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“How long will you torment(A) me
    and crush(B) me with words?
Ten times(C) now you have reproached(D) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.

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Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

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Surely mockers(A) surround me;(B)
    my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

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Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

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Will your long-winded speeches never end?(A)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?(B)

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But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

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You, however, smear me with lies;(A)
    you are worthless physicians,(B) all of you!(C)
If only you would be altogether silent!(D)
    For you, that would be wisdom.(E)
Hear now my argument;
    listen to the pleas of my lips.(F)
Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
    Will you speak deceitfully for him?(G)
Will you show him partiality?(H)
    Will you argue the case for God?
Would it turn out well if he examined you?(I)
    Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?(J)

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25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

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25 How painful are honest words!(A)
    But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
    and treat my desperate words as wind?(B)
27 You would even cast lots(C) for the fatherless(D)
    and barter away your friend.

28 “But now be so kind as to look at me.
    Would I lie to your face?(E)
29 Relent, do not be unjust;(F)
    reconsider, for my integrity(G) is at stake.[a](H)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 6:29 Or my righteousness still stands