| English Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. | 1For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him. |
| 2It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. | 2It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear. |
| 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and 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, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. |
| 4But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely 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 they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. |
| 6Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. | 6Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share 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 approved what you do. | 7Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. |
| 8Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. | 8Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. |
| 9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. | 9Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun. |
| 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. | 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. |
| 11Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. | 11I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all. |
| 12For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them. | 12Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them. |
| 13I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. | 13Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me. |
| 14There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. | 14There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. |
| 15But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. | 15But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. |
| 16But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. | 16So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. |
| 17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. | 17The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among 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. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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