ASV_Strong : Ecclesiastes 9
1. For all this I laid[H5414] to my heart[H3820], even to explore[H952] all this[H6662]: that the righteous, and the wise[H2450], and their works[H5652], are in the hand[H3027] of God[H430]; whether it be love[H160] or[H1571] hatred[H8135], man[H120] knoweth[H3045] it not[H6440]; all is before them.
2. All things come alike to all[H259]: there is one 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[H834] sacrificeth[H2076] not[H2896]; as is the good, so is the sinner[H2398]; and he that sweareth[H7650], as he that feareth[H3373] an oath[H7621].
3. This is an evil[H7451] in all that is done[H6213] under the sun[H8121], that there is one[H259] event[H4745] unto all[H3820]: yea also, the heart 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 the dead[H4191].
4. For[H4310] to him that is[H3426] joined[H2266] with all the living[H2416] there is hope[H986]; for a living[H2416] dog[H3611] is better[H2896] than a dead[H4191] lion[H738].
5. For the living[H2416] know[H3045] that they shall die[H4191]: but the dead[H4191] know[H3045] not anything[H3972], neither have they any more a reward[H7939]; for the memory[H2143] of them is forgotten[H7911].
6. As well their love[H160], as their hatred[H8135] and their envy[H7068], is perished[H6] long ago[H3528]; neither have they any more a portion[H2506] for ever[H5769] in anything that is done[H6213] under the sun[H8121].
7. Go thy way[H3212], eat[H398] thy bread[H3899] with joy[H8057], and drink[H8354] thy wine[H3196] with a merry[H2896] heart[H3820]; for God[H430] hath already[H3528] accepted[H7521] thy works[H4639].
8. Let thy garments[H899] be always[H6256] white[H3836]; and let not thy head[H7218] lack[H2637] oil[H8081].
9. Live[H2416] joyfully[H7200] with the wife[H802] whom thou lovest[H157] all the days[H3117] of thy life[H2416] of vanity[H1892], which he hath given[H5414] thee under the sun[H8121], all thy days[H3117] of vanity[H1892]: for that is thy portion[H2506] in life[H2416], and in thy labor[H5999] wherein thou laborest[H6001] under the sun[H8121].
10. Whatsoever thy hand[H3027] findeth[H4672] to do[H6213], do[H6213] it with thy might[H3581]; for there is no work[H4639], nor device[H2808], nor knowledge[H1847], nor wisdom[H2451], in Sheol[H7585], whither thou goest[H1980].
11. I returned[H7725], and saw[H7200] under the sun[H8121], that the race[H4793] is not to the swift[H7031], nor the battle[H4421] to the strong[H1368], neither yet bread[H3899] to the wise[H2450], nor yet riches[H6239] to men of understanding[H995], nor yet favor[H2580] to men of skill[H3045]; but time[H6256] and chance[H6294] happeneth to them all[H7136].
12. For man[H120] also knoweth[H3045] not his time[H6256]: as the fishes[H1709] that are taken[H270] in an evil[H7451] net[H4685], and as the birds[H6833] that are caught[H270] in the snare[H6341], even so[H1992] are the sons[H1121] of men[H120] snared[H3369] in an evil[H7451] time[H6256], when it falleth[H5307] suddenly upon them[H6597].
13. I have also seen[H7200] wisdom[H2451] under the sun[H8121] on this[H2090] wise[H1419], and it seemed great unto me:
14. There was a little[H6996] city[H5892], and few[H4592] men[H582] within it[H935]; and there came a great[H1419] king[H4428] against it[H5437], and besieged it[H1129], and built great[H1419] bulwarks against it[H4685].
15. Now there was found[H4672] in it a poor[H4542] wise[H2450] man[H376], and he by his wisdom[H2451] delivered[H4422] the city[H5892]; yet no man[H120] remembered[H2142] that same poor[H4542] man[H376].
16. Then said[H559] I[H2451], Wisdom is better[H2896] than strength[H1369]: nevertheless the poor man[H4542]'s wisdom[H2451] is despised[H959], and his words[H1697] are not heard[H8085].
17. The words[H1697] of the wise[H2450] heard[H8085] in quiet[H5183] are better than the cry[H2201] of him that ruleth[H4910] among fools[H3684].
18. Wisdom[H2451] is better[H2896] than weapons[H3627] of war[H7128]; but one[H259] sinner[H2398] destroyeth[H6] much[H7235] good[H2896].
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