Ecclesiastes 9

1 So I took all this [everything, the entirety of my experiences] to heart and concluded that the righteous [just, upright, having God’s nature] and the wise [intelligent, discerning, skilled], as well as their deeds [works, actions, accomplishments], are in God’s [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] hands. Man [the human, Adam] does not know [is unable to ascertain, cannot understand] what lies ahead [the future, what is to come], whether [it will be] love [affection, devotion] or hate [hostility, aversion]. word study 2 It is the same [one event, a common fate] for all: There is a common fate [one event, a shared destiny] for the righteous [just, morally upright] and the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin], for the good [pleasant, beneficial] and the bad [evil, harmful], for the clean [pure, ceremonially clean] and the unclean [impure, spiritually defiled], for the one who sacrifices [offers a religious sacrifice] and the one who does not [refuses to offer]. As it is for the good [pleasant, beneficial], so it is for the sinner [one who misses the mark, guilty of sin]; as it is for the one who makes a vow [takes an oath, promises to God], so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow [does not make a promise, fears an oath]. word study 3 This is an evil [a great wrong, injustice] in everything that is done under the sun [the world, human existence]: There is one fate [event, outcome] for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts [inner beings, will] of men are full of evil [moral wickedness, sin] and madness [foolishness, lack of wisdom] while they are alive [living, breathing], and afterward they join [go to, are gathered with] the dead [those who have passed away, the deceased]. word study 4 There is hope [confidence, trust], however, for anyone who is among the living [all the living, those who have life]; for even a live [living, breathing] dog [a despised animal, one considered lowly] is better [more desirable, preferable] than a dead [lifeless, deceased] lion. word study 5 For the living [who are conscious of their mortality] know that they will die [or pass away], but the dead [those who have passed on] know nothing [any thing, nor have they any more a reward]. They have no further reward, because the memory [remembrance, or memorial] of them is forgotten [no longer remembered, or overlooked]. word study 6 Their love [affection, strong emotional bond], their hate [intense dislike, hostility], and their envy [jealousy, resentment] have already [long ago, completely] vanished, and they will never again have a share [portion, inheritance] in all [everything, every activity] that is done [accomplished, made] under the sun [the created world, earthly life]. word study 7 Go, eat your bread [with gladness, in a joyful manner] with joy [cheerfulness, delight], and drink your wine [fermented wine] with a cheerful [merry, happy] heart, for God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] has already [previously, in the past] approved [accepted, been pleased with] your works [deeds, actions]: word study 8 Let your garments always [always be pure, spotless] be white [clean, freshly fallen snow], and never spare [be stingy with, withhold] the oil [olive oil, symbolizing richness] for your head [the chief, prince, leader of your body]. word study 9 Enjoy life [live joyfully, rejoice] with your beloved [loved, cherished] wife [woman, partner] all the days [every moment] of the fleeting [transitory, vain] life [existence, being alive] that God [the Provider, Creator] has given you under the sun [in this earthly realm, beneath the sun’s rays]—all your fleeting [temporary, brief] days. For this is your portion [inheritance, allotted share] in life [existence, mortal life] and in your labor [toil, work, trouble] under the sun [in this life, on earth]. word study 10 Whatever [all that is possible for you] you find [discover, come across] to do with your hands [by your own strength, ability], do it with all your might [power, strength, energy], for in Sheol [the underworld, grave, place of the dead], where you are going [will eventually go, are headed], there is no work [labor, task, deed] or planning [device, explanation, reckoning] or knowledge [understanding, insight, wisdom] or wisdom [prudence, good judgment, skill]. word study 11 I saw something else [in this earthly life] under the sun: The race [running competition, test of speed] is not to the swift [fast, speedy], nor the battle [war, conflict] to the strong [mighty, powerful]; neither is the bread [food, sustenance] to the wise [intelligent, discerning], nor the wealth [riches, abundance] to the intelligent [understanding, perceptive], nor the favor [graciousness, kindness] to the skillful [clever, talented]. For time [season, occasion] and chance [unexpected event, circumstance] happen to all [every person, everything]. word study 12 For surely [certainly, without a doubt] no man knows [is aware of, understands] his time [appointed hour, season of life]: Like fish [caught off guard] caught in a cruel [evil, destructive] net or birds [helpless] trapped in a snare [suddenly, unexpectedly], so men [humanity, the sons of Adam] are ensnared [caught, trapped] in an evil [bad, harmful] time [season of suffering] that suddenly [without warning, unexpectedly] falls upon them [comes upon, overtakes]. word study 13 I have also [even, too] seen this [specific, particular] wisdom [skill, prudence, good judgment] under [beneath, below] the sun [the sun; the east or the west], and it [this wisdom] was great [significant, important, of high value] to me [toward me, in my estimation]: word study 14 There was a small [little, insignificant] city [a walled town] with few [a small number of] men [people, inhabitants]. A mighty [great, powerful] king [ruler, monarch] came against it, surrounded [encircled, besieged] it, and built [constructed, established] large [great, extensive] siege ramps [bulwarks, fortifications] against it. word study 15 Now a poor [needy, lacking necessities] wise [intelligent, skilled] man [male person, individual] was found [discovered, attained] in the city [town, settlement], and he saved [delivered, escaped] the city [town, settlement] by his wisdom [prudence, good judgment]. Yet no one remembered [recalled, marked] that poor [needy, impoverished] man [male person, individual]. word study 16 And I said, “Wisdom [skill and good judgment] is better than strength [might and power], but the wisdom [prudent insight] of the poor man [one who lacks necessities] is despised [held in contempt], and his words [spoken thoughts and ideas] are not heeded [listened to or obeyed].” word study 17 The calm [peaceful, quiet] words of the wise [intelligent, skilled] are heeded [heard and obeyed, listened to] over the shouts [outcry, loud cry] of a ruler [one who has power] among fools [stupid, silly]. word study 18 Wisdom [skill, prudence, or good judgment] is better than [more valuable, superior to] weapons of war [instruments of conflict, articles of battle], but one [a single, solitary] sinner [one who misses the mark, goes wrong] destroys [perishes, ruins] much [a great amount, a multitude of] good [pleasant, beneficial, welfare]. word study