Ecclesiastes 9:4–7

4 Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

5 For the living know that they will die,

but the dead know nothing;

they have no further reward,

and even their name is forgotten.

6 Their love, their hate

and their jealousy have long since vanished;

never again will they have a part

in anything that happens under the sun.

7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

4 There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”

5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. 6 Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth. 7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!

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 the dead know nothing,

And they have no more reward,

For the 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, eat your bread with joy,

And drink your wine with a merry heart;

For God has already accepted your works.

4 But anyone still alive has hope; even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

5 The living know they will die,

but the dead know nothing.

Dead people have no more reward,

and people forget them.

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.

7 So go eat your food and enjoy it;

drink your wine and be happy,

because that is what God wants you to do.

4 For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun.

7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

4 For to him that 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 shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun. 7 Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

4 But all who are among the living have hope, because a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 The living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no more reward for the dead when the memory of them has faded. 6 Their love, their hate, and their passions have already vanished. They will never again take part in anything that happens under the sun. 

7 Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because God has already accepted what you’ve done.

4 But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.

4 But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has long ago approved what you do.

4 Whoever is joined to all the living has hope. After all, even a live dog is better than a dead lion! 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have a reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. 6 What they loved and hated, as well as what they desired, has already perished. They no longer have any share in what is done under the sun.

7 Go—eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart! For God already has approved your deeds.

4 Anyone who is living still has hope. Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

5 People who are still alive know they’ll die.

But those who have died don’t know anything.

They don’t receive any more rewards.

And they are soon forgotten.

6 Their love, hate and jealousy disappear.

They will never share again

in anything that happens on earth.

7 Go and enjoy your food. Be joyful as you drink your wine. Now is the time God favors what you do.

4 For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.

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

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