9:1  For I have taken all this to my heart and explain that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds dwell in the hand of God Man does not know whether love or hatred or anything awaits him.

9:2  The same fate awaits all: 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 awaits, so does the sinner await; as the one who swears awaits, so the one who shows fear to swear awaits.

9:3  This seems an evil in all that takes place under the sun, that there exists one fate for all men Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men turn toward evil and insanity resides in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

9:4   For whoever lives has hope; surely a live dog has more value than a dead lion.

9:5  For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for people do not remember them.

9:6  Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that takes place under the sun.

9:7  Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.

9:8  Let your clothes remain white all the time, and let not your head lack oil.

9:9  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 constitutes your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

9:10  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom exists in Sheol where you will go.

9:11  I again saw under the sun that the swift do not win the race and the warriors do not win the battle, and neither does bread accrue to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

9:12  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 fall into a snare at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

9:13   Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.

9:14  There existed a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.

9:15  But there lived in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom Yet no one remembered that poor man.

9:16   So I said, "Wisdom seems better than strength." But people despise the wisdom of the poor man and no one heeds him.

9:17  The words of the wise heard in quietness have more value than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

9:18   Wisdom proves better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.