| New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. | 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. |
| 2The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t. | 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. |
| 3It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. | 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. |
| 4There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog 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. |
| 5The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. | 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. |
| 6Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here 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. |
| 7So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! | 7Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. |
| 8Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne! | 8Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. |
| 9Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. | 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 do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. | 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. |
| 11I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. | 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. |
| 12People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy. Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly | 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. |
| 13Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. | 13I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: |
| 14There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged 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. |
| 15A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. | 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 even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long. | 16And I said, "Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded." |
| 17Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king. | 17The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools. |
| 18Better to have wisdom 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. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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