Ecclesiastes 9 ISV NIV Parallel

◄ Ecclesiastes 9 ►

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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.

1So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits 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 share a common destiny--the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.

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 the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join 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."

4Anyone who is among the living has hope --even a live dog is better off 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 will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name 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.

6Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens 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, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

8Always keep your garments white, and don't fail to anoint your head.

8Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.

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.

9Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun--all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor 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.

10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

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 have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen 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.

12Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.

13I also observed this example of wisdom on earth, and it seemed important to me:

13I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed 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 once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works 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 lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.

16So I concluded, "Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the poor is rejected—his words are never heard."

16So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

17The softly spoken words of the wise are to be heard rather than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

17The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of 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 destroys much good.

New International Version (NIV)

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