1 For all this I considered 5414 in my heart 3820 even to declare 952 all this, that the righteous 6662, and the wise 2450, and their works 5652, are in the hand 3027 of God 430: no man 120 knoweth 3045 either 1571 love 160 or hatred 8135 by all that is before 6440 them.
2 All things come alike to all: there is one 259 event 4745 to the righteous 6662, and to the wicked 7563; to the good 2896 and to the clean 2889, and to the unclean 2931; to him that sacrificeth 2076, and to him that 834 sacrificeth 2076 not: as is the good 2896, so is the sinner 2398; and he that sweareth 7650, as he that feareth 3373 an oath 7621.
3 This is an evil 7451 among all things that are done 6213 under the sun 8121, that there is one 259 event 4745 unto all: yea, also the heart 3820 of the sons 1121 of men 120 is full 4390 of evil 7451, and madness 1947 is in their heart 3824 while they live 2416, and after 310 that they go to the dead 4191.
4 For 4310 to him that is 3426 joined 2266 977 to all the living 2416 there is hope 986: for a living 2416 dog 3611 is better 2896 than a dead 4191 lion 738.
5 For the living 2416 know 3045 that they shall die 4191: but the dead 4191 know 3045 not any thing 3972, neither have they any more a reward 7939; for the memory 2143 of them is forgotten 7911.
6 Also their love 160, and their hatred 8135, and their envy 7068, is now 3528 perished 6; neither have they any more a portion 2506 for ever 5769 in any thing that is done 6213 under the sun 8121.
7 Go thy way 3212, eat 398 thy bread 3899 with joy 8057, and drink 8354 thy wine 3196 with a merry 2896 heart 3820; for God 430 now 3528 accepteth 7521 thy works 4639.
8 Let thy garments 899 be always 6256 white 3836; and let thy head 7218 lack 2637 no ointment 8081.
9 Live 2416 joyfully 7200 with the wife 802 whom thou lovest 157 all the days 3117 of the life 2416 of thy vanity 1892, which he hath given 5414 thee under the sun 8121, all the days 3117 of thy vanity 1892: for that is thy portion 2506 in this life 2416, and in thy labour 5999 which thou takest 6001 under the sun 8121.
10 Whatsoever thy hand 3027 findeth 4672 to do 6213, do 6213 it with thy might 3581; for there is no work 4639, nor device 2808, nor knowledge 1847, nor wisdom 2451, in the grave 7585, whither thou goest 1980.
11 I returned 7725, and saw 7200 under the sun 8121, that the race 4793 is not to the swift 7031, nor the battle 4421 to the strong 1368, neither yet bread 3899 to the wise 2450, nor yet riches 6239 to men of understanding 995, nor yet favour 2580 to men of skill 3045; but time 6256 and chance 6294 happeneth 7136 to them all.
12 For man 120 also knoweth 3045 not his time 6256: as the fishes 1709 that are taken 270 in an evil 7451 net 4685, and as the birds 6833 that are caught 270 in the snare 6341; so 1992 are the sons 1121 of men 120 snared 3369 in an evil 7451 time 6256, when it falleth 5307 suddenly 6597 upon them.
13 This 2090 wisdom 2451 have I seen 7200 also under the sun 8121, and it seemed great 1419 unto me:
14 There was a little 6996 city 5892, and few 4592 men 582 within it; and there came 935 a great 1419 king 4428 against it, and besieged 5437 it, and built 1129 great 1419 bulwarks 4685 against it:
15 Now there was found 4672 in it a poor 4542 wise 2450 man 376, and he by his wisdom 2451 delivered 4422 the city 5892; yet no man 120 remembered 2142 that same poor 4542 man 376.
16 Then said 559 I, Wisdom 2451 is better 2896 than strength 1369: nevertheless the poor man's 4542 wisdom 2451 is despised 959, and his words 1697 are not heard 8085.
17 The words 1697 of wise 2450 men are heard 8085 in quiet 5183 more than the cry 2201 of him that ruleth 4910 among fools 3684.
18 Wisdom 2451 is better 2896 than weapons 3627 of war 7128: but one 259 sinner 2398 destroyeth 6 much 7235 good 2896.