| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 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. | 1Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God's hands.People don't know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. |
| 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. | 2Everything is the same for everyone: there is one 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 sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath. |
| 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. | 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live--after that they go to the dead. |
| 4But whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion. | 4But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. |
| 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. | 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. |
| 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. | 6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun. |
| 7Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works. | 7Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. |
| 8Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head. | 8Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. |
| 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. | 9Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. |
| 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. | 10Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. |
| 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. | 11Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of 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. | 12For man certainly does not know his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them. |
| 13This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me: | 13I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: |
| 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. | 14There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. |
| 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. | 15Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. |
| 16So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man's wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. | 16And I said, "Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded." |
| 17The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools. | 17The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools. |
| 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good. | 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good. |
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