Ecclesiastes 9
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. 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 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. For to him that is joined * to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead * lion.
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. 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. Go thy way * , eat * thy bread with joy, and drink * thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth * thy works.
8. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack * no ointment.
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. 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. 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. 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. This wisdom have I seen * also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
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. 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. Then said * I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised * , and his words are not heard * .
17. The words of wise men are heard * in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth * among fools.
18. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner * destroyeth * much * good.
