1For all this I considered <05414> (8804) in my heart <03820> even to declare <0952> (8800) all this, that the righteous <06662>_, and the wise <02450>_, and their works <05652>_, [are] in the hand <03027> of God <0430>_: no man <0120> knoweth <03045> (8802) either <01571> love <0160> or hatred <08135> [by] all [that is] before <06440> them. {I considered...: Heb. I gave, or, set to my heart}
2All [things come] alike to all: [there is] one <0259> event <04745> to the righteous <06662>_, and to the wicked <07563>_; to the good <02896> and to the clean <02889>_, and to the unclean <02931>_; to him that sacrificeth <02076> (8802)_, and to him that <0834> sacrificeth <02076> (8802) not: as [is] the good <02896>_, so [is] the sinner <02398> (8802)_; [and] he that sweareth <07650> (8737)_, as [he] that feareth <03373> an oath <07621>_.
3This [is] an evil <07451> among all [things] that are done <06213> (8738) under the sun <08121>_, that [there is] one <0259> event <04745> unto all: yea, also the heart <03820> of the sons <01121> of men <0120> is full <04390> (8804) of evil <07451>_, and madness <01947> [is] in their heart <03824> while they live <02416>_, and after <0310> that [they go] to the dead <04191> (8801)_.
4For <04310> to him that is <03426> joined <02266> (8792) (8675) <0977> (8792) to all the living <02416> there is hope <0986>_: for a living <02416> dog <03611> is better <02896> than a dead <04191> (8801) lion <0738>_.
5For the living <02416> know <03045> (8802) that they shall die <04191> (8799)_: but the dead <04191> (8801) know <03045> (8802) not any thing <03972>_, neither have they any more a reward <07939>_; for the memory <02143> of them is forgotten <07911> (8738)_.
6Also their love <0160>_, and their hatred <08135>_, and their envy <07068>_, is now <03528> perished <06> (8804)_; neither have they any more a portion <02506> for ever <05769> in any [thing] that is done <06213> (8738) under the sun <08121>_.
7Go thy way <03212> (8798)_, eat <0398> (8798) thy bread <03899> with joy <08057>_, and drink <08354> (8798) thy wine <03196> with a merry <02896> heart <03820>_; for God <0430> now <03528> accepteth <07521> (8804) thy works <04639>_.
8Let thy garments <0899> be always <06256> white <03836>_; and let thy head <07218> lack <02637> (8799) no ointment <08081>_.
9Live <02416> joyfully <07200> (8798) with the wife <0802> whom thou lovest <0157> (8804) all the days <03117> of the life <02416> of thy vanity <01892>_, which he hath given <05414> (8804) thee under the sun <08121>_, all the days <03117> of thy vanity <01892>_: for that [is] thy portion <02506> in [this] life <02416>_, and in thy labour <05999> which thou takest <06001> under the sun <08121>_. {Live...: Heb. See, or, Enjoy life}
10Whatsoever thy hand <03027> findeth <04672> (8799) to do <06213> (8800)_, do <06213> (8798) [it] with thy might <03581>_; for [there is] no work <04639>_, nor device <02808>_, nor knowledge <01847>_, nor wisdom <02451>_, in the grave <07585>_, whither thou goest <01980> (8802)_.
11I returned <07725> (8804)_, and saw <07200> (8800) under the sun <08121>_, that the race <04793> [is] not to the swift <07031>_, nor the battle <04421> to the strong <01368>_, neither yet bread <03899> to the wise <02450>_, nor yet riches <06239> to men of understanding <0995> (8737)_, nor yet favour <02580> to men of skill <03045> (8802)_; but time <06256> and chance <06294> happeneth <07136> (8799) to them all.
12For man <0120> also knoweth <03045> (8799) not his time <06256>_: as the fishes <01709> that are taken <0270> (8737) in an evil <07451> net <04685>_, and as the birds <06833> that are caught <0270> (8803) in the snare <06341>_; so <01992> [are] the sons <01121> of men <0120> snared <03369> (8795) in an evil <07451> time <06256>_, when it falleth <05307> (8799) suddenly <06597> upon them.
13This <02090> wisdom <02451> have I seen <07200> (8804) also under the sun <08121>_, and it [seemed] great <01419> unto me:
14[There was] a little <06996> city <05892>_, and few <04592> men <0582> within it; and there came <0935> (8804) a great <01419> king <04428> against it, and besieged <05437> (8804) it, and built <01129> (8804) great <01419> bulwarks <04685> against it:
15Now there was found <04672> (8804) in it a poor <04542> wise <02450> man <0376>_, and he by his wisdom <02451> delivered <04422> (8765) the city <05892>_; yet no man <0120> remembered <02142> (8804) that same poor <04542> man <0376>_.
16Then said <0559> (8804) I, Wisdom <02451> [is] better <02896> than strength <01369>_: nevertheless the poor man's <04542> wisdom <02451> [is] despised <0959> (8803)_, and his words <01697> are not heard <08085> (8737)_.
17The words <01697> of wise <02450> [men are] heard <08085> (8737) in quiet <05183> more than the cry <02201> of him that ruleth <04910> (8802) among fools <03684>_.
18Wisdom <02451> [is] better <02896> than weapons <03627> of war <07128>_: but one <0259> sinner <02398> (8802) destroyeth <06> (8762) much <07235> (8687) good <02896>_.