| International Standard Version | King James Bible |
| 1In light of all of this, I committed myself to explain it this way: the righteous and the wise, along with everything they do, are in the hands of God. Furthermore, as to love and hate, no human being knows everything concerning them. | 1For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. |
| 2Everyone shares the same experience: a single event affects the righteous, the wicked, the good, the clean, the unclean, whoever sacrifices, and whoever does not sacrifice. As it is with the good person, so also it is with the sinner; as it is with someone who takes an oath, so also it is with someone who fears taking an oath. | 2All 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, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. |
| 3There is a tragedy that infects everything that happens on earth: a common event happens to everyone. In fact, the hearts of human beings are full of evil. Madness remains in their hearts while they live, and afterwards they join the dead. | 3This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, 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"While someone is among the living, hope remains," because "it is better to be a living dog than to be a dead lion." | 4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. |
| 5At least the living know they will die, but the dead know nothing; they no longer have a reward, since memory about them has been forgotten. | 5For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. |
| 6Furthermore, their love, their hate, and their envy have been long lost. Never again will they have a part in what happens on earth. | 6Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. |
| 7Go ahead and enjoy your meals as you eat. Drink your wine with a joyful attitude, because God already has approved your actions. | 7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. |
| 8Always keep your garments white, and don't fail to anoint your head. | 8Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. |
| 9Find joy in living with your wife whom you love every day of your pointless life that God gave you on earth, because this is your life assignment and your work to do on earth. | 9Live joyfully 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 this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. |
| 10Whatever the activity in which you engage, do it with all your ability, because there is no work, no planning, no learning, and no wisdom in the next world where you're going. | 10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. |
| 11I considered and observed on earth the following: The race doesn't go to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor food to the wise, nor wealth to the smart, nor recognition to the skilled. Instead, timing and circumstances meet them all. | 11I 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 favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. |
| 12In addition, no human being knows his time: Like fish captured in a cruel net, or as birds caught in a snare, so also are human beings caught by bad timing that surprises them. | 12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. |
| 13I also observed this example of wisdom on earth, and it seemed important to me: | 13This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: |
| 14There was a little city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built massive siege ramps against it. | 14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: |
| 15Now there was found within it a poor, but wise man. He delivered the city by his wisdom, but not one person remembered that poor man. | 15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. |
| 16So I concluded, "Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the poor is rejected—his words are never heard." | 16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. |
| 17The softly spoken words of the wise are to be heard rather than the shouts of a ruler of fools. | 17The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. |
| 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, and a single sinner can destroy a lot of good. | 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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