Death Comes to Good and Bad

1  כִּ֣י (Indeed) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) זֶ֞ה (this) נָתַ֤תִּי (I gave) אֶל־ (to) לִבִּי֙ (my heart), וְלָב֣וּר (in order to examine) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) זֶ֔ה (this), אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) הַצַּדִּיקִ֧ים (the righteous), וְהַחֲכָמִ֛ים (and the wise), וַעֲבָדֵיהֶ֖ם (and their work) בְּיַ֣ד (are in the hand) הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (of God). גַּֽם־ (Even) אַהֲבָ֣ה (love), גַם־ (even) שִׂנְאָ֗ה (hatred), אֵ֤ין (not) יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ (does know) הָֽאָדָ֔ם (man) הַכֹּ֖ל (all that) לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (is before their faces).

2  הַכֹּ֞ל (All) כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (is as) לַכֹּ֗ל (for all): מִקְרֶ֨ה (Event) אֶחָ֜ד (one) לַצַּדִּ֤יק (is to the righteous) וְלָרָשָׁע֙ (and to the wicked), לַטּוֹב֙ (to the good) וְלַטָּה֣וֹר (and to the clean), וְלַטָּמֵ֔א (and to the unclean), וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַ (to the one sacrificing), וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר (and to the one who) אֵינֶ֣נּוּ (not) זֹבֵ֑חַ (is sacrificing). כַּטּוֹב֙ (As is the good one), כַּֽחֹטֶ֔א (so is the sinner); הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕ע (the one swearing an oath) כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (as) שְׁבוּעָ֥ה (an oath) יָרֵֽא׃ (the one refusing).

3  זֶ֣ה׀ (This is) רָ֗ע (an evil) בְּכֹ֤ל (in all) אֲשֶֽׁר־ (that) נַעֲשָׂה֙ (is done) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ (the sun), כִּֽי־ (that) מִקְרֶ֥ה (event) אֶחָ֖ד (one) לַכֹּ֑ל (is to all), וְגַ֣ם (and also) לֵ֣ב (that the heart) בְּֽנֵי־ (of the sons) הָ֠אָדָם (of man) מָלֵא־ (is full evil) רָ֨ע (evil), וְהוֹלֵל֤וֹת (and madness is) בִּלְבָבָם֙ (in their hearts) בְּחַיֵּיהֶ֔ם (while they live), וְאַחֲרָ֖יו (and afterward)— אֶל־ (to) הַמֵּתִֽים׃ (the dead).

4  כִּי־ (For) מִי֙ (whoever) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) יִבָּחֵר (is joined) אֶ֥ל (to) כָּל־ (all) הַחַיִּ֖ים (the living), יֵ֣שׁ (there is) בִּטָּח֑וֹן (hope); כִּֽי־ (for) לְכֶ֤לֶב (a dog) חַי֙ (living) ה֣וּא (is) ט֔וֹב (better) מִן־ (than) הָאַרְיֵ֖ה (a lion) הַמֵּֽת׃ (that is dead). 5  כִּ֧י (For) הַֽחַיִּ֛ים (the living) יוֹדְעִ֖ים (know) שֶׁיָּמֻ֑תוּ (that they will die), וְהַמֵּתִ֞ים (and the dead) אֵינָ֧ם (not) יוֹדְעִ֣ים (can know) מְא֗וּמָה (anything), וְאֵֽין־ (and there is not) ע֤וֹד (anymore) לָהֶם֙ (for them) שָׂכָ֔ר (a reward), כִּ֥י (for) נִשְׁכַּ֖ח (is forgotten) זִכְרָֽם׃ (the memory of them). 6  גַּ֣ם (Also) אַהֲבָתָ֧ם (their love) גַּם־ (and) שִׂנְאָתָ֛ם (their hatred) גַּם־ (and) קִנְאָתָ֖ם (their jealousy) כְּבָ֣ר (already) אָבָ֑דָה (have perished), וְחֵ֨לֶק (and a portion) אֵין־ (there is not) לָהֶ֥ם (unto them) עוֹד֙ (anymore) לְעוֹלָ֔ם (forever) בְּכֹ֥ל (in all) אֲשֶֽׁר־ (that) נַעֲשָׂ֖ה (is done) תַּ֥חַת (under) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun).

Enjoy Your Portion in This Life

7  לֵ֣ךְ (Go), אֱכֹ֤ל (eat) בְּשִׂמְחָה֙ (with gladness) לַחְמֶ֔ךָ (your bread) וּֽשֲׁתֵ֥ה (and drink) בְלֶב־ (with a heart) ט֖וֹב (good) יֵינֶ֑ךָ (your wine), כִּ֣י (for) כְבָ֔ר (already) רָצָ֥ה (has accepted) הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) אֶֽת־ (-) מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃ (your works).

8  בְּכָל־ (At every) עֵ֕ת (time) יִהְי֥וּ (let be) בְגָדֶ֖יךָ (your garments) לְבָנִ֑ים (white),

וְשֶׁ֖מֶן (and oil) עַל־ (upon) רֹאשְׁךָ֥ (your head) אַל־ (not) יֶחְסָֽר׃ (let be lacking).

9  רְאֵ֨ה (See) חַיִּ֜ים (life) עִם־ (with) אִשָּׁ֣ה (a wife) אֲשֶׁר־ (whom) אָהַ֗בְתָּ (you have loved) כָּל־ (all) יְמֵי֙ (the days) חַיֵּ֣י (of the life) הֶבְלֶ֔ךָ (of your vapor), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (which) נָֽתַן־ (He has given) לְךָ֙ (to you) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ (the sun)— כֹּ֖ל (all) יְמֵ֣י (your days) הֶבְלֶ֑ךָ (of vapor). כִּ֣י (For) ה֤וּא (that is) חֶלְקְךָ֙ (your portion) בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים (in this life) וּבַעֲמָ֣לְךָ֔ (and in the toil) אֲשֶׁר־ (by which) אַתָּ֥ה (you) עָמֵ֖ל (toil) תַּ֥חַת (under) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun). 10  כֹּ֠ל (All) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) תִּמְצָ֧א (finds) יָֽדְךָ֛ (your hand) לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (to do), בְּכֹחֲךָ֖ (with your power) עֲשֵׂ֑ה (you must do it), כִּי֩ (for) אֵ֨ין (there is no) מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה (work) וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ (or plan) וְדַ֣עַת (or knowledge) וְחָכְמָ֔ה (or wisdom) בִּשְׁא֕וֹל (in Sheol), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (where) אַתָּ֖ה (you) הֹלֵ֥ךְ (are going) שָֽׁמָּה׃ס (there).

11  שַׁ֜בְתִּי (I returned) וְרָאֹ֣ה (and saw) תַֽחַת־ (under) הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ (the sun) כִּ֣י (how) לֹא֩ (not) לַקַּלִּ֨ים (to the swift is) הַמֵּר֜וֹץ (the race), וְלֹ֧א (and not) לַגִּבּוֹרִ֣ים (to the strong) הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה (the battle), וְ֠גַם (and) לֹ֣א (not) לַחֲכָמִ֥ים (to the wise) לֶ֙חֶם֙ (bread), וְגַ֨ם (and) לֹ֤א (not) לַנְּבֹנִים֙ (to the discerning) עֹ֔שֶׁר (wealth), וְגַ֛ם (and) לֹ֥א (not) לַיֹּדְעִ֖ים (to the skillful) חֵ֑ן (favor). כִּי־ (For) עֵ֥ת (time) וָפֶ֖גַע (and chance) יִקְרֶ֥ה (will happen to) אֶת־ (-) כֻּלָּֽם׃ (them all). 12  כִּ֡י (For) גַּם֩ (even) לֹֽא־ (not) יֵדַ֨ע (does know) הָאָדָ֜ם (the man) אֶת־ (-) עִתּ֗וֹ (his time); כַּדָּגִים֙ (like the fish) שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙ (taken) בִּמְצוֹדָ֣ה (in a net) רָעָ֔ה (cruel), וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔ים (and like the birds) הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת (that are grabbed) בַּפָּ֑ח (by the snare), כָּהֵ֗ם (so for them) יֽוּקָשִׁים֙ (are snared) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) הָֽאָדָ֔ם (of men) לְעֵ֣ת (in a time) רָעָ֔ה (evil) כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹל (when it falls) עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (upon them) פִּתְאֹֽם׃ (suddenly).

Wisdom Is Better than Strength

13  גַּם־ (Also) זֹ֛ה (this) רָאִ֥יתִי (I have seen): חָכְמָ֖ה (As wisdom) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun) וּגְדוֹלָ֥ה (and great) הִ֖יא (it was) אֵלָֽי׃ (to me). 14  עִ֣יר (A city was) קְטַנָּ֔ה (small) וַאֲנָשִׁ֥ים (and men) בָּ֖הּ (in it) מְעָ֑ט (few), וּבָֽא־ (and came) אֵלֶ֜יהָ (against it) מֶ֤לֶךְ (a king) גָּדוֹל֙ (great), וְסָבַ֣ב (and he besieged) אֹתָ֔הּ (it) וּבָנָ֥ה (and built) עָלֶ֖יהָ (against it) מְצוֹדִ֥ים (siege ramps) גְּדֹלִֽים׃ (great).

15  וּמָ֣צָא (And there was found) בָ֗הּ (in it) אִ֤ישׁ (a man) מִסְכֵּן֙ (poor) חָכָ֔ם (and yet wise), וּמִלַּט־ (and delivered) ה֥וּא (he) אֶת־ (-) הָעִ֖יר (the city) בְּחָכְמָת֑וֹ (by his wisdom). וְאָדָם֙ (And mankind) לֹ֣א (not) זָכַ֔ר (has remembered) אֶת־ (-) הָאִ֥ישׁ (the man) הַמִּסְכֵּ֖ן (poor) הַהּֽוּא׃ (that). 16  וְאָמַ֣רְתִּי (And said) אָ֔נִי (I), טוֹבָ֥ה (Better is) חָכְמָ֖ה (wisdom) מִגְּבוּרָ֑ה (than might), וְחָכְמַ֤ת (and the wisdom) הַמִּסְכֵּן֙ (of the poor one) בְּזוּיָ֔ה (is despised), וּדְבָרָ֖יו (and his words) אֵינָ֥ם (not) נִשְׁמָעִֽים׃ (are heard).

17  דִּבְרֵ֣י (The words) חֲכָמִ֔ים (of the wise) בְּנַ֖חַת (in quiet) נִשְׁמָעִ֑ים (are heeded)

מִזַּעֲקַ֥ת (over the shout) מוֹשֵׁ֖ל (of a ruler) בַּכְּסִילִֽים׃ (among fools).

18  טוֹבָ֥ה (Better) חָכְמָ֖ה (wisdom) מִכְּלֵ֣י (than weapons) קְרָ֑ב (of war),

וְחוֹטֶ֣א (and a sinner) אֶחָ֔ד (one) יְאַבֵּ֥ד (destroys) טוֹבָ֥ה (good) הַרְבֵּֽה׃ (much).