Ecclesiastes 9

Death Comes to All

9This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor.H5414H3820H952H6662H2450H5652H3027H430H120H3045H1571H160H8135H64402The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad

, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.H259H4745H6662H7563H2896H2889H2931H2076H834H2076H2896H2398H7650H3373H76213It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. That is why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway.H7451H6213H8121H259H4745H3820H1121H120H4390H7451H1947H3824H2416H310H41914There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”H4310H3426H2266H977H2416H986H2416H3611H2896H4191H7385The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered.H2416H3045H4191H4191H3045H3972H7939H2143H79116Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth.H160H8135H7068H3528H6H2506H5769H6213H81217So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!H3212H398H3899H8057H8354H3196H2896H3820H430H3528H7521H46398Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!H899H6256H3836H7218H2637H80819Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.H2416H7200H802H157H3117H2416H1892H5414H8121H3117H1892H2506H2416H5999H6001H812110Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave

, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.H3027H4672H6213H6213H3581H4639H2808H1847H2451H7585H198011I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.H7725H7200H8121H4793H7031H4421H1368H3899H2450H6239H995H2580H3045H6256H6294H713612People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.H120H3045H6256H1709H270H7451H4685H6833H270H6341H1992H1121H120H3369H7451H6256H5307H6597

Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly

13Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works.H2090H2451H7200H8121H141914There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it.H6996H5892H4592H582H935H1419H4428H5437H1129H1419H468515A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him.H4672H4542H2450H376H2451H4422H5892H120H2142H4542H37616So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long.H559H2451H2896H1369H4542H2451H959H1697H808517Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king.H1697H2450H8085H5183H2201H4910H368418Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.H2451H2896H3627H7128H259H2398H6H7235H2896