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Ecclesiastes 9

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. ⓐPeople don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them.

² Everything is the same for everyone: ⓑ there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, ⓒ for the good and the bad, [1] for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath.

³ This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live ⓓ — after that they go to the dead.

⁴ But there is hope for whoever is joined [2] with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion.

⁵ For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. ⓔ

⁶ Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun.

⁷ Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. ⓕ

⁸ Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. ⓖ

⁹ Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting [3] life, ⓗ which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle ⓘ under the sun.

¹⁰ Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, ⓙ because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom ⓚ in Sheol where you are going.

¹¹ Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, ⓛ or the battle to the strong, ⓜ or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.

¹² For man certainly does not know his time: ⓝ like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, ⓞ so people are trapped in an evil time ⓟ as it suddenly falls on them. ⓠ

¹³ I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me:

¹⁴ There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it.

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

¹⁶ And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, ⓣ but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

¹⁷ The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.

¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good. ⓤ

#	HCSB
1	Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. ⓐPeople don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them.
2	Everything is the same for everyone: ⓑ there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, ⓒ for the good and the bad, [1] for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath.
3	This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live ⓓ — after that they go to the dead.
4	But there is hope for whoever is joined [2] with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion.
5	For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. ⓔ
6	Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun.
7	Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. ⓕ
8	Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. ⓖ
9	Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting [3] life, ⓗ which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle ⓘ under the sun.
10	Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, ⓙ because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom ⓚ in Sheol where you are going.
11	Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, ⓛ or the battle to the strong, ⓜ or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.
12	For man certainly does not know his time: ⓝ like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, ⓞ so people are trapped in an evil time ⓟ as it suddenly falls on them. ⓠ
13	I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me:
14	There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it.
15	Now a poor wise man was found in the city, ⓡ and he delivered the city by his wisdom. ⓢ Yet no one remembered that poor man.
16	And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, ⓣ but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
17	The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.
18	Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good. ⓤ

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Ecclesiastes 9

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