|
|
|
|
1. I thought about all this and tried to understand it. I saw that God controls good people and wise people and what they do, but no one knows if they will experience love or hate.
|
1. For H3588 H853 all H3605 this H2088 I considered H5414 in H413 my heart H3820 even to declare H952 H853 all H3605 this H2088 , that H834 the righteous H6662 , and the wise H2450 , and their works H5652 , are in the hand H3027 of God H430 : no H369 man H120 knoweth H3045 either H1571 love H160 or H1571 hatred H8135 by all H3605 that is before H6440 them.
|
|
2. Good and bad people end up the same -- those who are right and those who are wrong, those who are good and those who are evil, those who are clean and those who are unclean, those who sacrifice and those who do not. The same things happen to a good person as happen to a sinner, to a person who makes promises to God and to one who does not.
|
2. All H3605 things come alike H834 to all H3605 : there is one H259 event H4745 to the righteous H6662 , and to the wicked H7563 ; to the good H2896 and to the clean H2889 , and to the unclean H2931 ; to him that sacrificeth H2076 , and to him that sacrificeth H834 H2076 not H369 : as is the good H2896 , so is the sinner H2398 ; and he that sweareth H7650 , as H834 he that feareth H3372 an oath H7621 .
|
|
3. This is something wrong that happens here on earth: What happens to one happens to all. So people's minds are full of evil and foolish thoughts while they live. After that, they join the dead.
|
3. This H2088 is an evil H7451 among all H3605 things that H834 are done H6213 under H8478 the sun H8121 , that H3588 there is one H259 event H4745 unto all H3605 : yea, also H1571 the heart H3820 of the sons H1121 of men H120 is full H4390 of evil H7451 , and madness H1947 is in their heart H3824 while they live H2416 , and after H310 that they go to H413 the dead H4191 .
|
|
4. But anyone still alive has hope; even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
|
4. For H3588 to him H4310 that H834 is joined H2266 to H413 all H3605 the living H2416 there is H3426 hope H986 : for H3588 a living H2416 dog H3611 is better H2896 than H4480 a dead H4191 lion H738 .
|
|
5. The living know they will die, but the dead know nothing. Dead people have no more reward, and people forget them.
|
5. For H3588 the living H2416 know H3045 that they shall die H7945 H4191 : but the dead H4191 know H3045 not H369 any thing H3972 , neither H369 have they any more H5750 a reward H7939 ; for H3588 the memory H2143 of them is forgotten H7911 .
|
|
6. After people are dead, they can no longer love or hate or envy. They will never again share in what happens here on earth.
|
6. Also H1571 their love H160 , and H1571 their hatred H8135 , and H1571 their envy H7068 , is now H3528 perished H6 ; neither H369 have they any more H5750 a portion H2506 forever H5769 in any H3605 thing that H834 is done H6213 under H8478 the sun H8121 .
|
|
7. So go eat your food and enjoy it; drink your wine and be happy, because that is what God wants you to do.
|
7. Go H1980 thy way, eat H398 thy bread H3899 with joy H8057 , and drink H8354 thy wine H3196 with a merry H2896 heart H3820 ; for H3588 God H430 now H3528 accepteth H7521 H853 thy works H4639 .
|
|
8. Put on nice clothes and make yourself look good.
|
8. Let thy garments H899 be H1961 always H3605 H6256 white H3836 ; and let thy head H7218 lack H2637 no H408 ointment H8081 .
|
|
9. Enjoy life with the wife you love. Enjoy all the useless days of this useless life God has given you here on earth, because it is all you have. So enjoy the work you do here on earth.
|
9. Live joyfully H2416 H7200 with H5973 the wife H802 whom H834 thou lovest H157 all H3605 the days H3117 of the life H2416 of thy vanity H1892 , which H834 he hath given H5414 thee under H8478 the sun H8121 , all H3605 the days H3117 of thy vanity H1892 : for H3588 that H1931 is thy portion H2506 in this life H2416 , and in thy labor H5999 which H834 thou H859 takest H6001 under H8478 the sun H8121 .
|
|
10. Whatever work you do, do your best, because you are going to the grave, where there is no working, no planning, no knowledge, and no wisdom.
|
10. Whatsoever H3605 H834 thy hand H3027 findeth H4672 to do H6213 , do H6213 it with thy might H3581 ; for H3588 there is no H369 work H4639 , nor device H2808 , nor knowledge H1847 , nor wisdom H2451 , in the grave H7585 , whither H834 H8033 thou H859 goest H1980 .
|
|
11. I also saw something else here on earth: The fastest runner does not always win the race, the strongest soldier does not always win the battle, the wisest does not always have food, the smartest does not always become wealthy, and the talented one does not always receive praise. Time and chance happen to everyone.
|
11. I returned H7725 , and saw H7200 under H8478 the sun H8121 , that H3588 the race H4793 is not H3808 to the swift H7031 , nor H3808 the battle H4421 to the strong H1368 , neither H3808 yet H1571 bread H3899 to the wise H2450 , nor H3808 yet H1571 riches H6239 to men of understanding H995 , nor H3808 yet H1571 favor H2580 to men of skill H3045 ; but H3588 time H6256 and chance H6294 happeneth H7136 to H853 them all H3605 .
|
|
12. No one knows what will happen next. Like a fish caught in a net, or a bird caught in a trap, people are trapped by evil when it suddenly falls on them.
|
12. For H3588 man H120 also H1571 knoweth H3045 not H3808 H853 his time H6256 : as the fishes H1709 that are taken H7945 H270 in an evil H7451 net H4686 , and as the birds H6833 that are caught H270 in the snare H6341 ; so are the sons H1121 of men H120 snared H3369 in an evil H7451 time H6256 , when it falleth H7945 H5307 suddenly H6597 upon H5921 them.
|
|
13. I also saw something wise here on earth that impressed me.
|
13. This H2090 wisdom H2451 have I seen H7200 also H1571 under H8478 the sun H8121 , and it H1931 seemed great H1419 unto H413 me:
|
|
14. There was a small town with only a few people in it. A great king fought against it and put his armies all around it.
|
14. There was a little H6996 city H5892 , and few H4592 men H376 within it ; and there came H935 a great H1419 king H4428 against H413 it , and besieged H5437 it , and built H1129 great H1419 bulwarks H4685 against H5921 it:
|
|
15. Now there was a poor but wise man in the town who used his wisdom to save his town. But later on, everyone forgot about him.
|
15. Now there was found H4672 in it a poor H4542 wise H2450 man H376 , and he H1931 by his wisdom H2451 delivered H4422 H853 the city H5892 ; yet no H3808 man H120 remembered H2142 H853 that same H1931 poor H4542 man H376 .
|
|
16. I still think wisdom is better than strength. But those people forgot about the poor man's wisdom and stopped listening to what he said.
|
16. Then said H559 I H589 , Wisdom H2451 is better H2896 than strength H4480 H1369 : nevertheless the poor man H4542 's wisdom H2451 is despised H959 , and his words H1697 are not H369 heard H8085 .
|
|
17. The quiet words of a wise person are better than the shouts of a foolish ruler.
|
17. The words H1697 of wise H2450 men are heard H8085 in quiet H5183 more than the cry H4480 H2201 of him that ruleth H4910 among fools H3684 .
|
|
18. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good.
|
18. Wisdom H2451 is better H2896 than weapons H4480 H3627 of war H7128 : but one H259 sinner H2398 destroyeth H6 much H7235 good H2896 .
|