Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 9"

Ecclesiastes 9

Common English Bible CEB

1 So I considered all of this carefully, examining all of it: The righteous and the wise and their deeds are in God's hand, along with both love and hate. People don't know anything that's ahead of them.

2 Everything is the same for everyone. The same fate awaits the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the pure and the impure, those who sacrifice and those who don't sacrifice. The good person is like the wrongdoer; the same holds for those who make solemn pledges and those who are afraid to swear.

3 This is the sad thing about all that happens under the sun: the same fate awaits everyone. Moreover, the human heart is full of evil; people's minds are full of madness while they are alive, and afterward they die.

4 Whoever is among the living can be certain about this. A living dog is definitely better off than a dead lion,

5 because the living know that they will die. But the dead know nothing at all. There is no more reward for them; even the memory of them is lost.

6 Their love and their hate, as well as their zeal, are already long gone. They will never again have a stake in all that happens under the sun.

7 Go, eat your food joyfully and drink your wine happily because God has already accepted what you do.

8 Let your garments always be white; don't run short of oil for your head.

9 Enjoy life with your dearly loved spouse all the days of your pointless life that God gives you under the sun—all the days of your pointless life!—because that's your part to play in this life and in your hard work under the sun.

10 Whatever you are capable of doing, do with all your might because there's no work, thought, knowledge, or wisdom in the grave, which is where you are headed.

11 I also observed under the sun that the race doesn't always go to the swift, nor the battle to the mighty, nor food to the wise, nor wealth to the intelligent, nor favor to the knowledgeable, because accidents can happen to anyone.

12 People most definitely don't know when their time will come. Like fish tragically caught in a net or like birds trapped in a snare, so are human beings caught in a time of tragedy that suddenly falls to them.

13 I also observed the following example of wisdom under the sun—it impressed me greatly:

14 There was a small town with only a few residents. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and waged a terrible war against it.

15 Now there lived in that town a poor but wise man who saved everyone by his wisdom. But no one remembered that poor man.

16 So I thought, Wisdom is better than might, but the wisdom of commoners is despised and their words aren't heeded.

17 The calm words of the wise are better heeded than the racket caused by a ruler among fools.

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

New Revised Standard NRS

1 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 one does not know. Everything that confronts them

2 is vanity, since the same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those who swear are like those who shun an oath.

3 This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4 But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost.

6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do.

8 Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head.

9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

11 Again 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 the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all.

12 For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them.

13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.

14 There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it.

15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded."

17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

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