| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1But 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. | 1So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated--no one knows what lies ahead. |
| 2It 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. | 2Everyone shares the same fate--the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the ceremonially clean and unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. What happens to the good person, also happens to the sinner; what happens to those who make vows, also happens to those who are afraid to make vows. |
| 3This 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. | 3This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives--then they die. |
| 4But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4But whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion. |
| 5For 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. | 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything; they have no further reward--and even the memory of them disappears. |
| 6Their 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. | 6What they loved, as well as what they hated and envied, perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth. |
| 7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. | 7Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works. |
| 8Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. | 8Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head. |
| 9Enjoy 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. | 9Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth. |
| 10Whatever 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. | 10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go. |
| 11Again 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. | 11Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge--for time and chance may overcome them all. |
| 12For 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. | 12Surely, no one knows his appointed time! Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare--just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly. |
| 13I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. | 13This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me: |
| 14There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. | 14There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it. |
| 15But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. | 15However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man. |
| 16But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. | 16So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man's wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. |
| 17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. | 17The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools. |
| 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. | 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good. |
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