Ecclesiastes 9 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 9 ▼
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1 So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate. 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; both are before him. For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, <i>are</i> in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred <i>by</i> all <i>that is</i> before them. For I have taken all this to my heart, even to examine it all, that righteous people, wise people, and their deeds are in the hand of God. People do not know whether <i>it will be</i> love or hatred; anything awaits them. So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.
2 It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow. It is the same for all, since the same event happens 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 the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. All <i>things come</i> alike to all: <i>there is</i> 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 <i>is</i> the good, so <i>is</i> the sinner; <i>and</i> he that sweareth, as <i>he</i> that feareth an oath. It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and the unclean; for the person who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good person is, so is the sinner; the one who swears <i>an oath</i> is just as the one who is afraid to swear an oath. All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.
3 This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. This <i>is</i> an evil among all <i>things</i> that are done under the sun, that <i>there is</i> one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness <i>is</i> in their heart while they live, and after that <i>they go</i> to the dead. This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterward <i>they go</i> to the dead. This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.
4 There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion. But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For whoever is joined to all the living, there is hope; for better a live dog, than a dead lion. Anyone who is among the living has hope —even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten. For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 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. For the living know that they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have a reward any longer, for their memory is forgotten. For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten.
6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any <i>thing</i> that is done under the sun. Indeed their love, their hate, and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun. Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works: Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Go <i>then,</i> eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.
8 Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. See that your clothes are white all the time, and that there is no lack of oil on your head. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.
9 Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun— all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that 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. 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 <i>is</i> thy portion in <i>this</i> life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your futile life which He has given you under the sun, all the days of your futility; for this is your reward in life and in your work which you have labored under the sun. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. 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. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do <i>it</i> with thy might; for <i>there is</i> no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Whatever your hand finds to do, do <i>it</i> with <i>all</i> your might; for there is no activity, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all. 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 those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race <i>is</i> 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. I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to the skillful; for time and chance overtake them all. I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
12 For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them. For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them. 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 <i>are</i> the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. For indeed, a person does not know his time: like fish that are caught in a treacherous net and birds caught in a snare, so the sons of mankind are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them. Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.
13 I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me: I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it <i>seemed</i> great unto me: This too I saw as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me: I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me:
14 There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it. 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. <i>There was</i> 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: there was a small city with few men in it, and a great king came to it, surrounded it, and constructed large siegeworks against it. There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it.
15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 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. 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. But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.
16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.” But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. Then said I, Wisdom <i>is</i> better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom <i>is</i> despised, and his words are not heard. So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are ignored. So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.
17 The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. The words of wise <i>men are</i> heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. The words of the wise heard in calm are <i>better</i> than the shouting of a ruler among fools. The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. Wisdom <i>is</i> better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
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