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 theysee before them.
2aAll 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.
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that theygo to the dead.
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.
6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.
7 Go, aeat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.
8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
91Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; afor that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
10aWhatever your hand finds to do, do it with your bmight; for thereis no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
11 I returned aand saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and bchance happen to them all.
12 For aman also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men arebsnared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.
Wisdom Superior to Folly
13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
14aTherewas a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great1 snares around it.
15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
declare—rather, explore; the result of my exploring is this, that "the righteous, etc., are in the hand of God. No man knoweth either the love or hatred (of God to them) by all that is before them," that is, by what is outwardly seen in His present dealings (Ecclesiastes 8:14, Ecclesiastes 8:17). However, from the sense of the same words, in Ecclesiastes 9:6, "love and hatred" seem to be the feelings of the wicked towards the righteous, whereby they caused to the latter comfort or sorrow. Translate: "Even the love and hatred" (exhibited towards the righteous, are in God's hand) (Psalms 76:10; Proverbs 16:7). "No man knoweth all that is before them."
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ecclesiastes 9:1:
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