Ecclesiastes 9 NKJV NIV Parallel

◄ Ecclesiastes 9 ►

NKJV Parallel NIV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]

New King James Version

New International Version

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

4But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

4Anyone who is among the living has hope --even a live dog is better off 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 know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name 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 jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens 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 food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

8Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.

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

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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

13This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great 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; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around 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 in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same 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.

16Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard.

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

17Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the shout 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; But one sinner destroys much good.”

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

New International Version (NIV)

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