 |  | Ecclesiastes 9 |  |  |
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Men Are in the Hand of God | ||||
 NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 1 For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him. | 1 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. | 1 Now, I have carefully thought about all this, and I explain it in this way: Righteous people and wise people, along with their accomplishments, are in God's hands. No one knows whether there will be love or hatred. | 1 For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them. | 1 For all this I laid to my heart and indeed to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them. | 2 It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear. | 2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. | 2 Everything turns out the same way for everyone. All people will share the same destiny, whether they are righteous, wicked, or good, clean or unclean, whether they offer sacrifices or don't offer sacrifices. Good people are treated like sinners. People who take oaths are treated like those who are afraid to take oaths. | 2 All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn't sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath. | 2 All things come alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. | 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. | 3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. | 3 This is the tragedy of everything that happens under the sun: Everyone shares the same destiny. Moreover, the hearts of mortals are full of evil. Madness is in their hearts while they are still alive. After that, they join the dead. | 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. | 3 This is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, they have to go to the dead. | 4 For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. | 4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4 But all who are among the living have hope, because a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4 For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | 5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. | 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. | 5 The living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. There is no more reward for the dead when the memory of them has faded. | 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. | 5 For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun. | 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. | 6 Their love, their hate, and their passions have already vanished. They will never again take part in anything that happens under the sun. | 6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun. | 6 Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun. | 7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. | 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. | 7 Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because God has already accepted what you've done. | 7 Go your way--eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works. | 7 Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works. | 8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. | 8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. | 8 Always wear clean clothes, and never go without lotion on your head. | 8 Let your garments be always white, and don't let your head lack oil. | 8 Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil. | 9 Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun. | 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. | 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, during all your brief, pointless life. God has given you your pointless life under the sun. This is your lot [in life] and what you get for the hard work that you do under the sun. | 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun. | 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun. | Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do |
| 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. | 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. | 10 Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with [all] your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you're going. | 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. | 10 Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 11 I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all. | 11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. | 11 I saw something else under the sun. The race isn't [won] by fast runners, or the battle by heroes. Wise people don't necessarily have food. Intelligent people don't necessarily have riches, and skilled people don't necessarily receive special treatment. But time and unpredictable events overtake all of them. | 11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. | 11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all. | 12 Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them. | 12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. | 12 No one knows when his time will come. Like fish that are caught in a cruel net or birds caught in a snare, humans are trapped by a disaster when it suddenly strikes them. | 12 For man also doesn't know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them. | 12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. | 13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me. | 13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: | 13 I also have seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it made a deep impression on me. | 13 I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me. | 13 This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me. | 14 There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. | 14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: | 14 There was a small town with a few soldiers in it, and a powerful king came to attack it. He surrounded it and blockaded it. | 14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. | 14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it: | 15 But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. | 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. | 15 A poor, wise person was found in that town. He saved the town using his wisdom. But no one remembered that poor person. | 15 Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. | 15 and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. | 16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. | 16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength," even though that poor person's wisdom was despised, and no one listened to what he said. | 16 Then I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. | 16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. | 17 The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. | 17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. | 17 One should pay more attention to calm words from wise people than shouting from a ruler of fools. | 17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools. | 17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. | 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. | 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. | 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good. | 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good. | 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good. |
<< Ecclesiastes 9 >> New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. GOD'S WORD is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. The World English Bible is a 1997 revision of the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible, first published in 1901. It is in the Public Domain. Please feel free to copy and distribute it freely. Thank you to Michael Paul Johnson for making this work available. For the latest information, to report corrections, or for other correspondence, visit www.ebible.org. | ||||