Ecclesiastes 9:3-13 (Today's New International Version)

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3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.¹ The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,² and afterward they join the dead.³ 4 Anyone who is among the living has hope^a--even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing;⁴ they have no further reward, and even their name⁵ is forgotten.⁶ 6 Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.⁷ 7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine⁸ with a joyful heart,⁹ for God has already approved what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white,¹⁰ and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife,¹¹ 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 lot¹² in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever¹³ your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,¹⁴ for in the realm of the dead,¹⁵ where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.¹⁶ 11 I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong,¹⁷ nor does food come to the wise¹⁸ or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance¹⁹ happen to them all.²⁰ 12 Moreover, 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 times²¹ that fall unexpectedly upon them.²²

Wisdom Better Than Folly

13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom²³ that greatly impressed me:

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