Chronological
7 Teacher: A good name is worth more than the finest perfume,
and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
2 In the same way, it is better to go to a funeral
than a celebration.
Why? because death is the end of life’s journey,
and the living should always take that to heart.
3 Sorrow beats foolish laughter;
embracing sadness somehow gladdens our hearts.
4 A wise heart is well acquainted with grief,
but a foolish heart seeks only pleasure’s company.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
than a song written by fools,
6 For the laughter of fools is like
the hiss and crackle of burning thorns beneath a pot.
This, too, is fleeting.
7 Oppression can turn the wise into fools,
and a bribe can damage the noblest heart.
8 Having the last word is better than having the first,
and patience will benefit you more than pride.
9 Do not be quick to anger,
for anger sits comfortably in the lap of fools.
10 Do not ask, “Where have all the good times gone?”
Wisdom knows better than to ask such a thing.
11 It is good to have wisdom along with an inheritance;
they give a clear advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For together wisdom and money are alike in this:
both offer protection from life’s misfortunes,
But the real advantage of knowledge is this:
wisdom alone preserves the lives of those who have it.
13 Think for a moment about the work of God.
Can anyone make straight what God has made crooked?
Often wisdom invites us to ponder great questions. The question, “Can anyone make straight what God has made crooked?” echoes the words of 1:15—“Something crooked cannot be made straight.” Only God can determine what is and what is not. God makes our paths crooked or straight. And we often do not understand why one person’s way is straight and another’s is crooked. The message of the teacher is simple: reverence God regardless of the path you have been given to walk.
14 Teacher: When times are good,
enjoy them and be happy.
When times are bad,
think about this:
God makes both good and bad times,
so that no one really knows what is coming next.
15 In the fleeting time I have lived on this earth, I have seen just about everything: the good dying in their goodness and the wicked living to a ripe old age. 16 So my advice? Do not act overly righteous, and do not think yourself wiser than others. Why go and ruin yourself? 17 But do not be too wicked or foolish either. Why die before it’s your time? 18 Grasp both sides of things and keep the two in balance; for anyone who fears God won’t give in to the extremes.[a]
After each act of creation in Genesis 1, “God saw that His new creation was beautiful and good.” When creation is nearly complete, God not only declares it “good” but is described as “savoring its beauty and appreciating its goodness” (Genesis 1:31). In the creation account recorded in Genesis 2, God places the tree of the knowledge of “good and evil” in the garden and commands the first couple not to eat of the tree. But that is precisely what they do; and in the act of eating, they gain knowledge of good and knowledge of what the absence of good brings. Adam and Eve’s children live with this dichotomy. For example, when Cain is distressed over God’s choice of Abel’s offering over his, God says to Cain, “Don’t you know that as long as you do what is right, then I accept you? But if you do not do what is right, watch out, because sin is crouching at the door, ready to pounce on you!” (Genesis 4:7). The temptation to scheme—that is, to do the “evil” rather than the “good”—begins with the first human pair; the teacher of Ecclesiastes reminds his readers that the same temptation still exists.
19 Wisdom is more powerful to a wise person than 10 rulers in a city.
20 There is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and never sins.
21 Don’t take to heart all that people say;
eventually you may hear your servant curse you.
22 And face it, your heart has overheard how often you’ve cursed others.
23 I have tested all of these sayings against wisdom. I promised myself, “I will become wise,” but wisdom kept its distance. 24 True wisdom remains elusive; its profound mysteries are remote. Who can discover it?
25 So I turned and dedicated my heart to knowing more, to digging deeper, to searching harder for wisdom and the reasons things are as they are. I applied myself to understanding the connection between wickedness and folly, between folly and madness. 26 Along this journey, I discovered something more bitter than death—a seductive woman. Her heart is a trap and net. Her hands shackle your wrists. Those who seek to please God will escape her clutches, but sinners will be caught in her trap. 27 Look at this! After investigating the matter thoroughly to find out why things are as they are, 28 I realize that although I kept on searching, I have not found what I am looking for. Only one man in a thousand have I found, but I could not find a single woman among all of these who knows this. 29 Here is what I have figured out: God made humanity for good, but we humans go out and scheme our way into trouble.
8 Teacher: How rare to find one who is truly wise,
one who knows how to interpret this or solve that!
Wisdom brightens the countenance of the face,
and softens hard lines etched in the face.
2 Here’s my advice: keep what comes from the king’s mouth; after all, this matter is really an oath from God. 3 Don’t be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence or throw your support behind a bad cause, because the king can do whatever he wishes. 4 Since the king has the power to enforce his word, who dares ask him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever does what the king commands will stay out of trouble, and the wise heart will figure out the proper time and proper way to proceed. 6 Yes, there is a time and a way to deal with every situation, even when a person’s troubles are on the rise. 7 For no one knows what is going to happen, so who can warn him before it does? 8 No one can master the wind and contain it—it blows as it will. No one has power over the day of death—it comes as it will. No soldier is discharged in the heat of battle, and certainly wickedness will not release those entangled in it. 9 I have witnessed all of this as I have focused my attention on all that is done under the sun: whenever one person oppresses another to lift himself up, it only hurts him in the end.
10 I have witnessed the wicked buried with honor because during their lifetimes they would go in and out of the temple, and soon their crimes were forgotten in the very city where they committed them. This, too, is fleeting.[b] 11 When the penalty for a crime is not carried out quickly, then people start scheming to commit their own crimes. 12 Although a wicked person commits a hundred sins and still lives a long life, I am confident it will go better for those who worship the one True God and stand in awe before Him, 13 and it will not go well for the wicked nor will their days grow long like evening shadows because they do not stand in awe of God.
14 Here is another example of the fleeting nature of our world: there are just people who get what the wicked deserve; there are wicked people who get what the just deserve. I say this, too, is fleeting. 15 And so I heartily recommended that you pursue joy, for the best a person can do under the sun is to enjoy life. Eat, drink, and be happy. If this is your attitude, joy will carry you through the toil every day that God gives you under the sun.
16 When I applied myself to the study of wisdom and reflected on the kinds of tasks that occupy people’s attention on earth, I noticed how little sleep they generally get, whether day or night. 17 I saw all the works and ways of God, and it became clear to me that no one is able to grasp fully this mystery called life. Try as we might, we cannot discover what has been done under the sun. Even if the wise claim to know, they really haven’t discovered it.
9 Teacher: So I set my mind on all of this, examined it thoroughly, and here’s what I think: The righteous and the wise and all their deeds are in God’s hands. Whether they are destined to be loved or hated, no one but God knows. 2 Everyone shares a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good [and the bad],[c] the clean and the unclean, those who sacrifice and those who neglect the sacrifices. The good and the faithful are treated no differently than the sinner. Those who take an oath are treated no differently than those afraid to commit. Such a great injustice! 3 Here is an evil that pervades all that is done under the sun: the same destiny happens to us all. Human hearts are inclined toward evil; madness runs deep throughout our lives. And then what happens? We die. 4 So long as we are alive, we have hope; it is better to be a living dog, you see, than a dead lion. 5 At least the living know they will die; the dead don’t know anything. No future, no reward is awaiting them, and one day they will be completely forgotten. 6 All of their love and hate and envy die with them; then it is too late to share in the human struggle under the sun.
At best, life is unpredictable. No one knows whether a pleasant or harsh future awaits. Perhaps it is better that way. It would be nice if good actions always guaranteed a pleasant future, but they don’t. Sometimes, in this fallen world, it is just the opposite. One thing is certain, however: everyone faces death. It is the great equalizer. Yet the teacher is assured of something else: those who are right with God and live wisely are in His hands.
Teacher: 7 So here is what you should do: go and enjoy your meals, drink your wine and love every minute of it because God is already pleased with what you do. 8 Dress your best, and don’t forget a splash of scented fragrance. 9 Enjoy life with the woman you love. Cherish every moment of the fleeting life which God has given you under the sun. For this is your lot in life, your great reward for all of your hard work under the sun. 10 Whatever you find to do, do it well because where you are going—the grave—there will be no working or thinking or knowing or wisdom.
11 I turned and witnessed something else under the sun: the race does not always go to the swift, the battle is not always won by the strong, bread does not always fill the table of the wise, wealth does not always accrue to the skillful, and favor is not always granted to the knowledgeable; but time and misfortune happen to them all. 12 A person can’t possibly know when his time will come. Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, without warning the unexpected happens, and people are caught up in an evil time.
When tragedy strikes, neither our wisdom nor our wealth nor our power can spare us from it.
13 I have witnessed an example of wisdom under the sun and admit I found it impressive: 14 Once there was a small town with only a few people in it. One day, out of nowhere, a king and his powerful army marched against it, surrounded it, and besieged it. The villagers didn’t know how to fend off such a powerful enemy. 15 But one man, who was very poor but very wise, rallied the villagers and managed to drive the army away. (The village remains to this day, but no one remembers the name of that one wise man who saved the village.) 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor is despised; nobody listens to their wise counsel.
17 It is better to hear the soft-spoken words of a wise person
than the rant of a tyrant in the company of fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
yet one wrongdoer can undo much good.
10 Teacher: Remember the saying,
Dead flies can spoil a good perfume.
In the same way, all the wisdom and honor in the world cannot outweigh a moment’s folly.
2 Wise people move to the right where they honor the goodness of God’s creation,
while fools move to the left and choose to ignore it.
Verse two states that “wise people move to the right . . . while fools move to the left.” The contrast between “right” and “left” reflects the ancient Near Eastern ideas of “clean” and “unclean.” The right hand was considered the clean hand and was a symbol for prosperity, while the left hand was considered the unclean hand and a symbol for disaster. The clean hand was used for eating, for acts of hospitality, and for greeting others. The unclean hand was used for personal hygiene. Thus, in this metaphor the right is equated with God’s goodness, while the left is equated with ignorance of God’s goodness.
3 Teacher: Fools are easily spotted when they walk down the street:
their lack of sense is obvious to everyone.
4 If someone in charge becomes angry at you, don’t leave your post;
a calm reply puts great offenses to rest.
5 I have seen another restless evil in this world, the kind of error that arises from those in power: 6 fools and their folly are promoted to positions of authority, while the rich and talented are assigned menial tasks. 7 I have seen slaves riding on horseback like royalty and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8 If you dig a pit, you may fall into it.
If you tear down an old wall, a snake may come out and bite you.
9 Whoever quarries stones may be crushed by them,
and whoever splits wood may be hurt by flying debris.
10 If a tool is dull and no one sharpens its edge, the work will be harder;
the advantage of wisdom is this: it brings success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage in being a snake charmer.
12 The words of the wise bring them favor,
but those of the foolish endanger them.
13 The first words out of a fool’s mouth are folly;
the last words he utters are evil madness.
14 The fool babbles on and on, not knowing when to stop.
Though no one knows what will happen next, he may think he knows.
Who can tell what the future holds?
15 The fools’ work wears them out;
they’re so weary they can’t find their way to the city.
16 Woe to the land whose king is a child
and whose princes start their feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble heritage
and whose princes know when to feast,
Who discipline themselves with strength and avoid drunkenness.
18 The roof sags over the head of lazybones;
the house leaks because of idle hands.
19 Feasts are happy occasions;
wine brings joy to life;
money is the answer for everything.
20 Don’t curse the king in your thoughts
or demean the rich even in private.
If you do, a little bird or other winged creature overhead might overhear
and wing your words and report what you said to those in power.
11 Teacher: Don’t be afraid to release your bread upon the waters,
for in due time you will find it.
2 Divide your portion—put seven here, maybe eight there—
for you can never be sure when or where disaster will strike.
3 When the clouds are dark and heavy with rain,
showers will fall upon the earth.
When a tree falls—whether to the south or the north—
it will stay where it lands.
4 Those who watch and wait for favorable winds never plant,
and those who watch and fret over every cloud never harvest.
5 You can no more predict the path of the wind than you can explain how a child’s bones are formed in a mother’s womb. Even more, you will never understand the workings of the God who made all things.
6 Get up early to sow your seed,
and in the evening find worthwhile things to do,
For you never know which will profit you—
maybe this, maybe that, maybe both.
Hard work, not idleness, is at the heart of wisdom. Rewards come when we most need and least expect them.
7 Light is sweet;
one glimpse of the sun delights the eyes.
8 If a person lives many years, then he should learn to enjoy each and every one; but he should not forget the dark days ahead, for there will be plenty of them. All that is to come—whether bright days or dark—is fleeting. 9 Be happy, and celebrate all of the goodness of youth while you are young. Cultivate a cheerful heart every day you have youth. Go where your heart takes you. Take in the sights. Enjoy, but remember that God will hold us accountable for all that we do. 10 When all is said and done, clear your mind of all its worries. Free your body of all its troubles while you can, for youth and the prime of life will soon vanish.
12 Teacher: And so we come to the end of this musing over life. My advice to you is to remember your Creator, God, while you are young: before life gets hard and the injustice of old age comes upon you—before the years arrive when pleasure feels far out of reach— 2 before the sun and light and the moon and stars fade to darkness and before cloud-covered skies return after the rain. 3 Remember Him before the arms and legs of the keeper of the house begin to tremble—before the strong grow uneasy and bent over with age—before toothless gums aren’t able to chew food and eyes grow dim. 4 Remember Him before the doors are shut in the streets and hearing fails and everyday sounds fade away—before the slightest sound of a bird’s chirp awakens the sleeping but the song itself has fallen silent. 5 People will be afraid of falling from heights and terrifying obstacles in the streets. Realize that hair turns white like the blossoms on the almond tree, one becomes slow and large like a gluttonous grasshopper, and even caper berries no longer stimulate desire. In the end, all must go to our eternal home while there are mourners in the streets. 6-7 So before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is shattered: before the earthen jar is smashed at the spring and the wheel at the well is broken—before the dust returns to the earth that gave it and the spirit-breath returns to God who breathed it, let us remember our Creator. 8 Life is fleeting; it just slips through your fingers. All vanishes like mist.
The teacher advises the readers to “remember” their Creator. Remembrance is a pervasive theme in Scripture. Throughout the Bible, God remembers His covenant people, and the covenant people are told to remember the promises and actions of God on their behalf. In the Book of Psalms, “remember” occurs 45 times, sometimes written by the suffering faithful who cry out to God to remember (Psalms 25:6–7; 74:2, 18, 22; 89:47), and sometimes by the worshiper who marvels that God has remembered (Psalms 8:4; 78:39; 111:5; 136:23). Thus remembering in the Old Testament is an action of both God and God’s people.
Memory was as fundamental to the faith of ancient Israel as it is today. Believers gather together to remember who they are and to whom they belong. This communal memory shapes reality, forms identities, and determines right living.
9 Not only did the teacher attain wisdom by careful observation, study, and setting out many proverbs, but he was also generous with his knowledge and eagerly shared it with people. 10 The teacher also searched for just the right words to bring hope and encouragement, and he wrote honestly about truth and the realities of life.
11 The words of the wise are like goads; the collected sayings of the masters are like the nail-tipped sticks used to drive the sheep, given by one Shepherd.
Wise words ring true in our ears, whether we want to hear them or not. They prod us, convict us, and move us; and heeding them strengthens us.
12 So be warned, my child, of anything else that might be said! There is no end to writing books, and excessive study only exhausts the body. 13 And, when all is said and done, here is the last word: worship in reverence the one True God, and keep His commands, for this is what God expects of every person. 14 For God will judge every action—including everything done in secret—whether it be good or evil.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.