Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

English Standard Version

Death Comes to All

9 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, ^(A)how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are ^(B)in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. ²^(C)It is the same for all, since ^(D)the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil,^[a] to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who ^(E)swears is as he who shuns an oath. ³This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that ^(F)the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and ^(G)madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

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Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 9:2 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks and the evil

Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

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. ²Everyone 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

³There 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.

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Ecclesiastes 9:1-3 English Standard Version