1 F or all this I laid to my heart and to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.

For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.

2 A ll things alike to all: 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; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.

3 T his is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, to the dead.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

4 F or to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

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

For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.

6 T heir love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun.

Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

7 G o, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.

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

Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head.

9 E njoy life 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 life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.

Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun. Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do

10 W hatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

11 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 the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

12 F or man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

13 T his also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.

Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.

14 T here was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:

There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.

15 a nd there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.

But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

16 T hen said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

So I said, “ Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded.

17 T he words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

18 W isdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.