 1 For all this I took to heart, even to make all this clear. The righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. No one knows either love or hatred by all that is before them. 2 All happens 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 one who sacrifices and to one who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner. One who swears is as one who fears an oath. 3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun. There is one event to all. The heart of the sons of men is full of evil. Madness is in their heart while they live and after that they go to the dead. 4 Whoever is chosen, to all those living, there is hope. A living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 The living know that they will die. But the dead do not know anything, nor do they have any more reward. Their memory is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hatred, and their envy is now perished. Nor do they any longer have a part forever in all that is done under the sun. 7 Go. Eat your bread with joy. Drink your wine with a merry heart. For God now is pleased with your works. 8 Let your garments always be white. Let your head lack no ointment. 9 Look on life with the wife you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which He has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity. For that is your share in this life and in your labor that you labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. For there is no work nor plan nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave where you will go. 11 I returned and 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 chance happens to them all. 12 Mankind does not know the time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net and birds that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it suddenly falls on them. 13 This wisdom I have seen also under the sun and it seemed great to me. 14 There was a little city, and few men in it. A great king came against it and besieged it and built huge bulwarks against it. 15 A poor wise man was found in it and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no man remembered that poor man. 16 I said, Wisdom is better than strength. But the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. 17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of those who rule among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war. But one sinner destroys much good.
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