Ecclesiastes Chapter 9
King James Version (KJV)
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
2
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
3
That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
4
I turned about, and my heart
5
was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason
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of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
7
And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets,
8
and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
9
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher,
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laying one thing to another, to find out the account;
11
which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
12
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
13
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
14
counsel thee, Keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God.
15
Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
16
For the king’s word
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hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
18
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment:
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand ofGod; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.
2
All things [come] 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.
3
This 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, [they have to go] to the dead.
4
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5
For 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.
6
Their 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.
7
Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; forGod hath already accepted thy works.
8
Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
9
Enjoy 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.
10
Whatever 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.
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.
12
For 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.
13
This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
14
There 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:
15
and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.
16
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17
The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
[I saw] that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: yea, there is no man that knows either love or hatred, [though] all are before their face.
2
Vanity is in all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good, and to the bad; both to the pure, and to the impure; both to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifices not: as is the good, so is the sinner: as is the swearer, even so is he that fears an oath.
3
There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yea, the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after that [they go] to the dead.
4
For who is he that has fellowship with all the living? there is hope [of him]: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5
For the living will know that they shall die: but the dead know nothing, and there is no longer any reward to them; for their memory is lost.
6
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; yea, there is no portion for them any more for ever in all that is done under the sun.
7
Go, eat thy bread with mirth, and drink thy wine with a joyful heart; for now God has favourably accepted thy works.
8
Let thy garments be always white; and let not oil be wanting on thine head.
9
And see life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which are given thee under the sun: for that is thy portion in thy life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun.
10
Whatsoever thine hand shall find to do, do with all thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Hades 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, nor yet bread to the wise, nor yet wealth to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; for time and chance will happen to them all.
12
For surely man also knows not his time: as fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as birds that are caught in a snare; even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.
13
This I also saw [to be] wisdom under the sun, and it is great before me:
14
[suppose there were] a little city, and few men in it; and there should come against it a great king, and surround it, and build great mounds against it;
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and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom: yet no man would remember that poor man.
16
And I said, Wisdom is better than power: yet the wisdom of the poor man is set at nought, and his words not listened to.
17
The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of them that rule in folly.
18
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: and one sinner will destroy much good.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Omnia hæc tractavi in corde meo, ut curiose intelligerem: Sunt iusti atque sapientes, et opera eorum in manu Dei: et tamen nescit homo utrum amore, an odio dignus sit:
2
sed omnia in futurum servantur incerta, eo quod universa æque eveniant iusto et impio, bono et malo, mundo et immundo, immolanti victimas, et sacrificia contemnenti. sicut bonus, sic et peccator: ut periurus, ita et ille qui verum deierat.
3
Hoc est pessimum inter omnia, quæ sub sole fiunt, quia eadem cunctis eveniunt. unde et corda filiorum hominum implentur malitia, et contemptu in vita sua, et post hæc ad inferos deducentur.
4
Nemo est qui semper vivat, et qui huius rei habeat fiduciam: melior est canis vivus leone mortuo.
5
Viventes enim sciunt se esse morituros, mortui vero nihil noverunt amplius, nec habent ultra mercedem: quia oblivioni tradita est memoria eorum.
6
Amor quoque, et odium, et invidiæ simul perierunt, nec habent partem in hoc sæculo, et in opere, quod sub sole geritur.
7
Vade ergo et comede in lætitia panem tuum, et bibe cum gaudio vinum tuum: quia Deo placent opera tua.
8
Omni tempore sint vestimenta tua candida, et oleum de capite tuo non deficiat.
9
Perfruere vita cum uxore, quam diligis, cunctis diebus vitæ instabilitatis tuæ, qui dati sunt tibi sub sole omni tempore vanitatis tuæ: hæc est enim pars in vita, et in labore tuo, quo laboras sub sole.
10
Quodcumque facere potest manus tua, instanter operare: quia nec opus, nec ratio, nec sapientia, nec scientia erunt apud inferos, quo tu properas.
11
Verti me ad aliud, et vidi sub sole, nec velocium esse cursum, nec fortium bellum, nec sapientium panem, nec doctorum divitias, nec artificum gratiam: sed tempus, casumque in omnibus.
12
Nescit homo finem suum: sed sicut pisces capiuntur hamo, et sicut aves laqueo comprehenduntur, sic capiuntur homines in tempore malo, cum eis extemplo supervenerit.
13
Hanc quoque sub sole vidi sapientiam, et probavi maximam:
14
Civitas parva, et pauci in ea viri: venit contra eam rex magnus, et vallavit eam, extruxitque munitiones per gyrum, et perfecta est obsidio.
15
Inventusque est in ea vir pauper et sapiens, et liberavit urbem per sapientiam suam, et nullus deinceps recordatus est hominis illius pauperis.
16
Et dicebam ego, meliorem esse sapientiam fortitudine: quomodo ergo sapientia pauperis contempta est, et verba eius non sunt audita?
17
Verba sapientium audiuntur in silentio plus quam clamor principis inter stultos.
18
Melior est sapientia, quam arma bellica: et qui in uno peccaverit, multa bona perdet.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them.
2
All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.
3
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all. Yes 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
For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5
For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten.
6
Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither do they any longer have a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.
7
Go your way—eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.
8
Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil.
9
Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.
10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor 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 men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.
12
For man also doesn’t know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.
13
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.
14
There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
15
Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16
Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17
The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.
18
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
But 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, <FI>are<Fi> in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred doth man know, the whole <FI>is<Fi> before them.
2
The whole <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>is<Fi> the good, so <FI> is<Fi> the sinner, he who is swearing as he who is fearing an oath.
3
This <FI>is<Fi> an evil among all that hath been done under the sun, that one event <FI>is<Fi> to all, and also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness <FI>is<Fi> in their heart during their life, and after it--unto the dead.
4
But <FI>to<Fi> him who is joined unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it <FI>is<Fi> better than to the dead lion.
5
For 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.
6
Their 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.
7
Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a glad heart thy wine, for already hath God been pleased with thy works.
8
At all times let thy garments be white, and let not perfume be lacking on thy head.
9
See 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 <FI>is<Fi> thy portion in life, even of thy labour that thou art labouring at under the sun.
10
All 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.
11
I have turned so as to see under the sun, that not to the swift <FI>is<Fi> 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.
12
For 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 <FI>are<Fi> the sons of man snared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.
13
This also I have seen: wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me.
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;
15
and 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!
16
And I said, `Better <FI>is<Fi> wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.' --
17
The words of the wise in quiet are heard, More than the cry of a ruler over fools.
18
Better <FI>is<Fi> wisdom than weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroyeth much good!
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).