1 F or all this I took to heart, exploring and examining it all, how the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) and the wise and their works are in the hands of God. Whether it is to be love or hatred no man knows; all that is before them.

For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

2 A ll things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him who sacrifices and to him who does not sacrifice. As is the good man, so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who fears and shuns an oath.

All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

3 T his evil is in all that is done under the sun: one fate comes to all. Also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4 b ut he who is joined to all the living has hope—for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 F or 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 shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6 T heir love and their hatred and their envy have already perished; neither have they any more a share in anything that is done under the sun.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

7 G o your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

8 L et your garments be always white, and let your head not lack oil.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

9 L ive joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun—all the days of futility. For that is your portion in this life and in your work at which you toil under the sun.

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

10 W hatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the place of the dead), where you are going.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

11 I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, neither is bread to the wise nor riches to men of intelligence and understanding nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12 F or man also knows not his time: as the fishes are taken in an evil net, and as the birds are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when falls suddenly upon them.

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13 T his wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great to me:

This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14 T here was a little city with few men in it. And a great king came against it and besieged it and built great bulwarks against it.

There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

15 B ut there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no man remembered that poor man.

Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16 B ut I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heeded.

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17 T he words of wise men heard in quiet are better than the shouts of him who rules among fools.

The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18 W isdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.