| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. | 1Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God's hands.People don't know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. |
| 2It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. | 2Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath. |
| 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. | 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live--after that they go to the dead. |
| 4But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. |
| 5For 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. | 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. |
| 6Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. | 6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun. |
| 7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. | 7Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. |
| 8Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. | 8Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. |
| 9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. | 9Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. |
| 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. | 10Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. |
| 11Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. | 11Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. |
| 12For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them. | 12For man certainly does not know his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them. |
| 13I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. | 13I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: |
| 14There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. | 14There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. |
| 15But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. | 15Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. |
| 16But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. | 16And I said, "Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded." |
| 17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. | 17The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools. |
| 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. | 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good. |
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