Eccl 9
1
For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and
the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man
knows it not; all 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 whom sacrifices and to him
whom sacrifices not; as is the good, so is the sinner; [and] he who swears, as he
who fears an oath.
3
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to 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 whom is joined with 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 anything, neither have
they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6
As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is perished long ago; neither
have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun.
7
Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for
God has already accepted your works.
8
Let your garments be always white; and let not your head lack oil.
9
Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which
he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion
in life, and in your labor wherein you labor under the sun.
10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with your might; for there is no work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you go.
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 favor to men of skill; but time and chance happens to them all.
12
For man also knows not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and
as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an
evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.
13
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great to 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 the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him whom rules among
fools.
18
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.