Ecclesiastes, 9

1. Yes, I have applied myself to all this and experienced all this to be so: that is to say, that the upright and the wise, with their activities, are in the hands of God. We do not understand either love or hate, where we are concerned, both of them are futile. And for all of us is reserved a common fate, for the upright and for the wicked, for the food and for the bad; whether we are ritually pure or not, whether we offer sacrifice or not: it is the same for the good and for the sinner, for someone who takes a vow, as for someone who fears to do so.

1. 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.

2. futile. And for all of us is reserved a common fate, for the upright and for the wicked, for the good and for the bad; whether we are ritually pure or not, whether we offer sacrifice or not: it is the same for the good and for the sinner, for someone who takes a vow, as for someone who fears to do so.

2. 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.

3. This is another evil among those occurring under the sun: that there should be the same fate for everyone. The human heart, however, is full of wickedness; folly lurks in our hearts throughout our lives, until we end among the dead.

3. 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.

4. But there is hope for someone still linked to the rest of the living: better be a live dog than a dead lion.

4. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5. The living are at least aware that they are going to die, but the dead know nothing whatever. No more wages for them, since their memory is forgotten.

5. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6. Their love, their hate, their jealousy, have perished long since, and they will never have any further part in what goes on under the sun.

6. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any [thing] that is done under the sun.

7. So, eat your bread in joy, drink your wine with a glad heart, since God has already approved your actions.

7. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

8. At all times, dress in white and keep your head well scented.

8. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

9. Spend your life with the woman you love, all the days of futile life God gives you under the sun, throughout your futile days, since this is your lot in life and in the effort you expend under the sun.

9. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that [is] thy portion in [this] life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

10. Whatever work you find to do, do it with all your might, for there is neither achievement, nor planning, nor science, nor wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

11. Another thing I have observed under the sun: that the race is not won by the speediest, nor the battle by the champions; it is not the wise who get food, nor the intelligent wealth, nor the learned favour: chance and mischance befall them all.

11. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race [is] not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12. We do not know when our time will come: like fish caught in the treacherous net, like birds caught in the snare, just so are we all trapped by misfortune when it suddenly overtakes us.

12. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so [are] the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13. Here is another example of the wisdom I have acquired under the sun and it strikes me as important:

13. This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it [seemed] great unto me:

14. There was once a small town, with only a few inhabitants; a mighty king made war on it, laying siege to it and building great siege-works round it.

14. [There was] a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

15. But there was in that town a poverty-stricken sage who by his wisdom saved the town. No one remembered this poor man afterwards.

15. Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16. So I say: Wisdom is more effective than brute force, but the wisdom of a poor man is not valued: no one listens to what he has to say.

16. Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard.

17. The calm words of the wise make themselves heard above the shouts of someone commanding an army of fools.

17. The words of wise [men are] heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18. Wisdom is worth more than weapons of war, but a single sin undoes a deal of good.

18. Wisdom [is] better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.