| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. | 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. |
| 2All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears 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 also it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who takes an oath, so also for the one who fears an oath. |
| 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; 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 for him who is joined to all the living there is 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. |
| 6Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything 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 accepted your works. | 7Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. |
| 8Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil. | 8Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. |
| 9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform 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 device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where 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. |
| 11I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; 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 also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them. | 12For certainly no one knows 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. |
| 13This wisdom I have also seen 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, besieged it, and built great snares around 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. |
| 15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same 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. |
| 16Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless 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." |
| 17Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the shout of a ruler of 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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