1I thought about all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise, and all they do, are in the hand of God. No one knows whether love or hatred waits for him in all that lies ahead.
2The same thing happens to everyone. One end comes to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, to the clean and to the unclean, to the one who offers sacrifices and to the one who does not. As it is with the good, so it is with the sinner; as it is with the one who swears an oath, so with the one who is afraid to swear.
3This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: that the same end comes to all. Yes, and the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live. After that they go to the dead.
4For anyone who is still among the living has hope. A living dog is better than a dead lion.
5The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all. They have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
6Their love, their hatred and their envy have now perished. They have no share for ever in anything that is done under the sun.
7Go your way. Eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a glad heart, for God now accepts what you do.
8Let your clothes always be white, and let your head never lack oil.
9Live joyfully with the wife you love, all the days of this empty life which he has given you under the sun, all your empty days. For that is your share in this life, and in your labour which you work at under the sun.
10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your strength. For there is no work, no plan, no knowledge and no wisdom in the grave, where you are going.
11I turned and saw under the sun that the race is not won by the swift, nor the battle by the strong. Bread does not always go to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill. Time and chance come to them all.
12No one knows his own time. Like fish caught in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are trapped in an evil time, when it falls on them suddenly.
13I also saw this wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
14There was a little city, and few men in it. A great king came against it, besieged it, and built great siege works against it.
15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom he saved the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
16Then I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." Yet the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17The quiet words of wise men are heard more than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.