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. But 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 man does not know. Everything before them is vanity,

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. since one fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good man, so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who shuns 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 in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all; also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts 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. But he who is joined with all the living has 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 will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them is lost.

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. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and they have no more for ever any share in all 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, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already approved what you do.

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

8. Let your garments be always white; let not oil be lacking on your head.

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. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life which he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil 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. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

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. 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 men of skill; but time and chance happen 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 does not know his time. Like fish which are taken in an evil net, and like birds which are caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

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

13. I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to 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 with few men in it; and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks 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. But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that 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. But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.

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

17. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler 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 destroys much good.