| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 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. | 1This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. |
| 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. | 2The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t. |
| 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. | 3It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. |
| 4But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog 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. | 5The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. |
| 6Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun. | 6Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth. |
| 7Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works. | 7So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! |
| 8Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil. | 8Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne! |
| 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. | 9Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. |
| 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 you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or 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 observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. |
| 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. | 12People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy. Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly |
| 13This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: | 13Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. |
| 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 town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged 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. | 15A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. |
| 16Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard. | 16So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long. |
| 17Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools. | 17Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king. |
| 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroys much good.” | 18Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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