Chapter 9

For all this I considered¹ in my heart even to declare² all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, [are] in the hand of God: no man knoweth⁶ either love or hatred [by] all [that is] before them.

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,⁶ and to him that sacrificeth⁶ not: as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner;⁶ [and] he that sweareth,¹² as [he] that feareth an oath.

This [is] an evil among all [things] that are done⁸ under the sun, that [there is] one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full¹ of evil, and madness [is] in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.⁵

For to him that is joined^{29 977 29} to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead⁵ lion.

For the living know⁶ that they shall die:⁴ but the dead⁵ know⁶ not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.⁸

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished;¹ neither have they any more a portion for ever in any [thing] that is done⁸ under the sun.

Go thy way,³ eat³ thy bread with joy, and drink³ thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth¹ thy works.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack⁴ no ointment.

Live joyfully³ with the wife whom thou lovest¹ all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given¹ 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.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth⁴ to do,² do³ [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.⁶

I returned,¹ and saw² 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,¹² nor yet favour to men of skill;⁶ but time and chance happeneth⁴ to them all.

For man also knoweth⁴ not his time: as the fishes that are taken¹² in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught⁷ in the snare; so [are] the sons of men snared⁹⁴ in an evil time, when it falleth⁴ suddenly upon them.

This wisdom have I seen¹ also under the sun, and it [seemed] great unto me:

[There was] a little city, and few men within it; and there came¹ a great king against it, and besieged¹ it, and built¹ great bulwarks against it:

Now there was found¹ in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered¹⁴ the city; yet no man remembered¹ that same poor man.

Then said¹ I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom [is] despised,⁷ and his words are not heard.¹²

The words of wise [men are] heard¹² in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth⁶ among fools.

Wisdom [is] better than weapons of war: but one sinner⁶ destroyeth¹⁷ much⁵³ good.