| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. | 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. |
| 2All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. | 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. |
| 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. | 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. |
| 4But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living 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 know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. |
| 6Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun. | 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. |
| 7Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works. | 7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. |
| 8Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil. | 8Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. |
| 9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun. | 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. |
| 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. | 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. |
| 11I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all. | 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. |
| 12For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them. | 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. |
| 13This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: | 13I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. |
| 14There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it. | 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. |
| 15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man. | 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. |
| 16Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard. | 16But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. |
| 17Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools. | 17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler 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 destroys much good. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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