Ecclesiastes 9 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 9 ▼
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GENEVA
Geneva Bible of 1587
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 I haue surely giuen mine heart to all this, and to declare all this, that the iust, and the wise, and their workes are in the hand of God: and no man knoweth eyther loue or hatred of all that is before them. 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. 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 All things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted, and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner, he that sweareth, as he that feareth an othe. 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 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 euill among all that is done vnder the sunne, that there is one condition to all, and also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill, and madnes is in their heartes whiles they liue, and after that, they goe to 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 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 Surely whosoeuer is ioyned to all ye liuing, there is hope: for it is better to a liuing dog, then to a dead lyon. But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better 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 liuing knowe that they shall dye, but the dead knowe nothing at all: neither haue they any more a rewarde: for their remembrance 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 will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten.
6 Also their loue, and their hatred, and their enuie is now perished, and they haue no more portion for euer, in all that is done vnder the sunne. 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. 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 Goe, eate thy bread with ioy, & drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart: for God nowe accepteth thy workes. Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.
8 At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.
9 Reioyce with the wife whom thou hast loued all the dayes of the life of thy vanitie, which God hath giuen thee vnder the sunne all the dayes of thy vanitie: for this is thy portion in the life, and in thy trauaile wherein thou labourest vnder the sunne. 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. 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 All that thine hand shall finde to doe, doe it with all thy power: for there is neither worke nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest. 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. 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 returned, and I sawe vnder the sunne that the race is not to the swift, nor the battell to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor also riches to men of vnderstanding, neither yet fauour to men of knowledge: but time and chance commeth to them 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 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 neither doth man knowe his time, but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net, and as the birdes that are caught in the snare: so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddenly. 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. 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 haue also seene this wisedome vnder the sunne, and it is great vnto me. I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me:
14 A litle citie and fewe men in it, and a great King came against it, and compassed it about, and builded fortes 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. 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 And there was founde therein a poore and wise man, and he deliuered the citie by his wisedome: but none remembred this poore 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 lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.
16 Then said I, Better is wisdome then stregth: yet the wisedome of the poore is despised, and his wordes are not heard. But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. 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 wordes of the wise are more heard in quietnes, then the crye of him that ruleth among fooles. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better 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 Better is wisedome then weapons of warre: 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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