Ecclesiastes 9 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 9 ▼
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SLT
Smith's Literal Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 For all this I gave to my heart, and to examine all this, that the just and the wise and their works are in the hand of God: also love, also hatred, no man shall know of all 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 according to all: one event to the just one and to the unjust one; to the good one and to the clean one, and to the unclean one; to him sacrificing and to him not sacrificing: as the good one, so the sinning one; he swearing, as he who shall fear an oath. 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 an evil in all being done under the sun, thus one event is to all: and also the heart of the sons of man being full of evil, and folly in their heart in their living, and after it to their deaths. 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 For whoever shall choose to all the living there is hope: for to a living dog it is good above a dead lion. 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 living know they shall die: and the dead know not any thing, and no more to them a reward; for their remembrance was 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 love, also their hatred, also their envy perished already; and no more portion to them forever in all which was done under the sun. 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 Go eat in joy thy bread, and drink thy wine in a good heart; for already God was satisfied with thy works. 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 In all time thy garments shall be white; and ointment shall not be wanting upon thy 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 See life with the wife which thou didst love all the days of the life of thy vanity which he gave to thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for this thy portion in life, and in thy labor which thou laborest under the sun. 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 which thy hand shall find to do, with thy strength, do thou; for no work and understanding and knowledge and wisdom, in hades where thou goest there. 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 turned back, and saw under the sun that not to the fleet the race, and the war not to the strong, and also not to the wise, bread; and also not to the understanding ones, riches; and also not to the knowing, favor; for time and chance will light upon all of them. 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 also man knew not his time: as the fishes being laid hold of in an evil net, and as the birds laid hold of in the snare, as they, the sons of men being snared for an evil time, as it will fall upon 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 Also this I saw, the wisdom under the sun, and it was great to 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 little city, and men in it few; and a great king came against it, and surrounded it, and built against it great entrenchments: 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 a poor wise man was found in it, and he delivered the city by his wisdom; and not a man remembered that poor 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 And I said, Wisdom is good above strength: and the wisdom of the poor one was despised, and his words 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 words of the wise being heard in quiet more than the cry of him ruling among the foolish. 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 Wisdom is good above the instruments of encounter: and one sinning will destroy 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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