Ecclesiastes

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.

1I thought carefully about all of this, and here is what I say. Good people, wise people, and all they do are in God's hands. No one knows what is coming, whether love or hate.

2All 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.

2The same thing happens to everyone. There is one end for the good person and the wicked one, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who brings offerings and the one who brings none. It is the same for the good person as for the sinner, and for the one who makes promises to God as for the one who is afraid to.

3This 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.

3Here is something wrong with everything done in this world: the same end comes to everyone. People's hearts are full of evil, and their minds are wild while they live. Then they join the dead.

4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

4Anyone who is still among the living has hope. Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion.

5For 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.

5The living know that they will die. But the dead know nothing at all. They get nothing more, and even the memory of them fades away.

6Also 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.

6Their love, their hate, and their jealousy are already gone. They will never again have any share in anything done in this world.

7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

7So go ahead. Eat your food with joy and drink your wine with a glad heart, because God has already accepted what you do.

8Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

8Always wear fresh white clothes, and never run short of oil for your head.

NoteWhite clothes and oil on the head were signs of a good day, like dressing up for a party. The verse is telling the reader to keep enjoying life.

9Live 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.

9Enjoy life with the wife you love, through all the short days God has given you in this world. That is your share in life and in the hard work you do here.

NoteThe KJV says "the days of thy vanity." Here "vanity" does not mean being proud. It means life is short and passes quickly, like a puff of breath.

10Whatsoever 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.

10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your strength. In the place of the dead, where you are going, there is no work, no planning, no knowledge, and no wisdom.

NoteThe KJV word is "grave." The Hebrew word is Sheol, the place where the dead go.

11I 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.

11I looked again at life in this world. The fastest runner does not always win the race, and the strongest army does not always win the battle. Wise people do not always have food, smart people do not always get rich, and skilled people are not always favored. Time and chance come to them all.

12For 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.

12No one knows when his time will come. Fish are caught in a cruel net, and birds are caught in a trap. In the same way, people are trapped by a bad time that falls on them suddenly.

13This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

13I also saw this example of wisdom in the world, and it seemed great to me.

14There 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:

14There was a small city with only a few people in it. A powerful king came against it, surrounded it, and built huge ramps of earth against its walls.

Note"Bulwarks" were huge ramps of packed earth. Attacking armies built them against a city wall so soldiers could climb over.

15Now 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.

15In that city there lived a poor but wise man, and his wisdom saved the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man afterward.

16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

16So I said, wisdom is better than strength. Even so, people look down on a poor man's wisdom, and no one listens to what he says.

17The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

17The quiet words of wise people are worth more than the shouting of a ruler over fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war. But one person doing wrong ruins much that is good.