9 For I 1considered 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 they see before them. 2 bAll things come alike to all:

One event happens to the righteous and the wicked;

To the 2good, 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 they go 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 cthe dead know nothing,

And they have no more reward,

For dthe 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, eeat 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.

9 3Live 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; ffor that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.

10 gWhatever your hand finds to do, do it with your hmight; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

11 I returned iand 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 jchance happen to them all.

12 For kman also does not know his time:

Like fish taken in a cruel net,

Like birds caught in a snare,

So the sons of men are lsnared 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: 14 mThere was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great 4snares 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.

16 Then I said:

“Wisdom is better than nstrength.

Nevertheless othe poor man’s wisdom is despised,

And his words are not heard.

17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard

Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war;

But pone sinner destroys much good.”

10 Dead 1flies 2putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,

And cause it to give off a foul odor;

So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,

But a fool’s heart at his left.

3 Even when a fool walks along the way,

He lacks wisdom,

aAnd he shows everyone that he is a fool.

4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you,

bDo not leave your post;

For cconciliation 3pacifies great offenses.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,

As an error proceeding from the ruler:

6 dFolly is set in 4great dignity,

While the rich sit in a lowly place.

7 I have seen servants eon horses,

While princes walk on the ground like servants.

8 fHe who digs a pit will fall into it,

And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.

9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them,

And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.

10 If the ax is dull,

And one does not sharpen the edge,

Then he must use more strength;

But wisdom 5brings success.

11 A serpent may bite gwhen it is not charmed;

The 6babbler is no different.

12 hThe words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,

But ithe lips of a fool shall swallow him up;

13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,

And the end of his talk is raving madness.

14 jA fool also multiplies words.

No man knows what is to be;

Who can tell him kwhat will be after him?

15 The labor of fools wearies them,

For they do not even know how to go to the city!

16 lWoe to you, O land, when your king is a child,

And your princes feast in the morning!

17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles,

And your mprinces feast at the proper time—

For strength and not for drunkenness!

18 Because of laziness the 7building decays,

And nthrough idleness of hands the house leaks.

19 A feast is made for laughter,

And owine makes merry;

But money answers everything.

20 pDo not curse the king, even in your thought;

Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom;

For a bird of the air may carry your voice,

And a bird in flight may tell the matter.