1 B ut all this I have laid unto my heart, so as to clear up the whole of this, that the righteous and the wise, and their works, in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred doth man know, the whole before them.

For I have thought of all this, how good and wise men and their works are in the hand of God. Man does not know if love or hate is waiting for them.

2 T he whole as to the whole; one event is to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, and to him who is sacrificing, and to him who is not sacrificing; as the good, so the sinner, he who is swearing as he who is fearing an oath.

It is the same for all. The same thing will happen to both the man who is good and the man who is sinful. The same thing will happen to the clean and the unclean, and to the man who gives a gift on the altar and to the man who does not. As the good man is, so is the sinner. As the man who swears is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.

3 T his an evil among all that hath been done under the sun, that one event to all, and also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness in their heart during their life, and after it -- unto the dead.

This is a bad thing in all that is done under the sun, that the same thing happens to all men. Also the hearts of men are sinful and crazy all their lives. Then they join the dead.

4 B ut him who is joined unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it better than to the dead lion.

But there is hope for the one who is among the living. For sure a live dog is better off than a dead lion.

5 F or the living know that they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten.

For the living know they will die. But the dead know nothing, and they will receive nothing further, for they are forgotten.

6 T heir love also, their hatred also, their envy also, hath already perished, and they have no more a portion to the age in all that hath been done under the sun.

Their love and hate and desire have already died. They will no longer have a part in what is done under the sun.

7 G o, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a glad heart thy wine, for already hath God been pleased with thy works.

Go and eat your bread in happiness. Drink your wine with a happy heart. For God has already been pleased with your works.

8 A t all times let thy garments be white, and let not perfume be lacking on thy head.

Let your clothes be white all the time. And let there always be oil on your head.

9 S ee life with the wife whom thou hast loved, all the days of the life of thy vanity, that He hath given to thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity, for it thy portion in life, even of thy labour that thou art labouring at under the sun.

Enjoy life with the woman you love all the days of your life that will soon be over. God has given you these days under the sun. This is the good you will get in life and in your work which you have done under the sun.

10 A ll that thy hand findeth to do, with thy power do, for there is no work, and device, and knowledge, and wisdom in Sheol whither thou art going.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your strength. For there is no work or planning or learning or wisdom in the place of the dead where you are going.

11 I have turned so as to see under the sun, that not to the swift the race, nor to the mighty the battle, nor even to the wise bread, nor even to the intelligent wealth, nor even to the skilful grace, for time and chance happen with them all.

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the fast and the battle to the men of war. Bread is not to the wise and riches are not to the men of understanding. Favor is not to able workers. Time comes and goes and things happen for no reason to them all.

12 F or even man knoweth not his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are taken hold of by a snare, like these the sons of man snared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.

Man does not know his time. Like fish caught in a bad net, and birds caught in a trap, so men are trapped at a bad time when trouble comes upon them when they do not expect it. Wisdom Is Better Than Being Foolish

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

I have also seen this as wisdom under the sun, and it made me think.

14 A little city, and few men in it, and a great king hath come unto it, and hath surrounded it, and hath built against it great bulwarks;

There was a small city with few men in it, and a great king came to it. His army gathered around it and built a large wall to help them in battle against it.

15 a nd there hath been found in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!

But a poor wise man was found in the city, and he brought the city out of its trouble by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

16 A nd I said, `Better wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.' --

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

17 T he words of the wise in quiet are heard, More than the cry of a ruler over fools.

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the loud words of a ruler among fools.

18 B etter wisdom than weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroyeth much good!

Wisdom is better than objects used in war, but one sinner destroys much good.