1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Ecclesiastes 9

1 Like things happen to good and bad. 4 There is a necessity of death unto men. 7 Comfort is all their portion in this life. 11 God's providence ruleth over all. 13 Wisdom is better than strength.

 9:1 For I have taken 5414 all 3605 this 2088 to my heart 3820 and explain 952 it that righteous 6662 men 6662, wise 2450 men 2450, and their deeds 5652 are in the hand 3027 of God 430. Man 120 does not know 3045 whether 1571 [it will be] love 160 or 1571 hatred 8135; anything 3605 awaits 6440 him.

 9:2 ¶ It is the same 3512c for all 3605. There is one 259 fate 4745 for the righteous 6662 and for the wicked 7563; for the good 2896a, for the clean 2889 and for the unclean 2931; for the man who offers 2076 a sacrifice 2076 and for the one who 834 does not sacrifice 2076. As the good 2896a man 2896a is, so is the sinner 2398; as the swearer 7650 is, so is the one who is afraid 3372a to swear 7621.

 9:3 This 2088 is an evil 7451a in all 3605 that is done 6213a under 8478 the sun 8121, that there is one 259 fate 4745 for all 3605 men 3605. Furthermore 1571, the hearts 3820 of the sons 1121 of men 120 are full 4392 of evil 7451b and insanity 1947 is in their hearts 3824 throughout their lives 2425b. Afterwards 310 they [go] to the dead 4191.

 9:4 For whoever 4310 834 is joined 2266 with all 3605 the living 2416a, there 3426 is hope 986; surely 3588 a live 2416a dog 3611 is better 2896a than 4480 a dead 4191 lion 743b.

 9:5 For the living 2416a know 3045 they will die 4191; but the dead 4191 do not know 3045 anything 3972, nor 369 have 369 they any 5750 longer 5750 a reward 7939, for their memory 2143 is forgotten 7911.

 9:6 Indeed 1571 their love 160, their hate 8135 and their zeal 7068 have already 3528 perished 6, and they will no 369 longer 5750 have 369 a share 2506 in all 3605 that is done 6213a under 8478 the sun 8121.

 9:7 ¶ Go 1980 [then], eat 398 your bread 3899 in happiness 8057 and drink 8354 your wine 3196 with a cheerful 2896a heart 3820; for God 430 has already 3528 approved 7521 your works 4639.

 9:8 Let your clothes 899b be white 3836 all 3605 the time 6256, and let not oil 8081 be lacking 2637 on your head 7218.

 9:9 Enjoy 7200 life 2425b with the woman 802 whom 834 you love 157 all 3605 the days 3117 of your fleeting 1892 life 2425b which 834 He has given 5414 to you under 8478 the sun 8121; for this 1931 is your reward 2506 in life 2425b and in your toil 5999 in which 834 you have labored 6001b under 8478 the sun 8121.

 9:10 ¶ Whatever 3605 834 your hand 3027 finds 4672 to do 6213a, do 6213a [it] with [all] your might 3581b; for there 369 is no 369 activity 4639 or planning 2803 or knowledge 1847 or wisdom 2451 in Sheol 7585 where 834 8033 you are going 1980.

 9:11 ¶ I again 7725 saw 7200 under 8478 the sun 8121 that the race 4793 is not to the swift 7031 and the battle 4421 is not to the warriors 1368, and neither 1571 3808 is bread 3899 to the wise 2450 nor 3808 1571 wealth 6239 to the discerning 995 nor 3808 1571 favor 2580 to men of ability 3045; for time 6256 and chance 6294 overtake 7136a them all 3605.

 9:12 Moreover 3588 1571, man 120 does not know 3045 his time 6256: like fish 1709 caught 270 in a treacherous 7451a net 4685c and birds 6833 trapped 270 in a snare 6341a, so the sons 1121 of men 120 are ensnared 3369 at an evil 7451a time 6256 when it suddenly 6597 falls 5307 on them.

 9:13 ¶ Also 1571 this 2090 I came to see 7200 as wisdom 2451 under 8478 the sun 8121, and it impressed 1419 me.

 9:14 There was a small 6996a city 5892b with few 4592 men 376 in it and a great 1419 king 4428 came 935 to it, surrounded 5437 it and constructed 1129 large 1419 siegeworks 4685a against 5921 it.

 9:15 But there was found 4672 in it a poor 4542 wise 2450 man 376 and he delivered 4422 the city 5892b by his wisdom 2451. Yet no 3808 one 120 remembered 2142 that poor 4542 man 376.

 9:16 So I said 559, “Wisdom 2451 is better 2896a than 4480 strength 1369.” But the wisdom 2451 of the poor 4542 man 4542 is despised 959 and his words 1697 are not heeded 8085.

 9:17 The words 1697 of the wise 2450 heard 8085 in quietness 5183a are [better] than 4480 the shouting 2199 of a ruler 4910 among fools 3684.

 9:18 Wisdom 2451 is better 2896a than 4480 weapons 3627 of war 7128, but one 259 sinner 2398 destroys 6 much 7235a good 2899b.