1 For I¹ considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: ^athat the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.  ‡

2 ^aAll things come alike to all:
One event happens to the¹ righteous and the wicked;
To the good, the clean, and the unclean;
To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice.
As is the good, so is the sinner;
He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.  ‡

4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 For the living know that they will die;
But ^athe dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For ^bthe memory of them is forgotten. ‡