Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

Death Comes to Good and Bad

For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.

1

Death Comes to All

For I [a]considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that 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

All things [come] alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

2

All things come alike to all:
One event happens to the righteous and the wicked;
To the [b]good, 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 among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.

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

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

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 shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

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 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.

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

Enjoy Your Portion in This Life

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

7

Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.

8

Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.

8

Let your garments always be white,
And let your head lack no oil.

9

Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.

9

[c]Live 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; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.

10

Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

10

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

11

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

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 happen to them all.

12

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

12

For man 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 snared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them.

13

Wisdom Better than Strength

This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.

13

Wisdom Superior to Folly

This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:

14

There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:

14

There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great [d]snares around it.

15

and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.

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 said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

16

Then I said:
“Wisdom is better than strength.
Nevertheless 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 him that ruleth among fools.

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 one sinner destroyeth much good.

18

Wisdom is better than weapons of war;
But one sinner destroys much good.”

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

Ecclesiastes 9

Ecclesiastes 9