1 For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it F121 that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in R211 the hand of God. Man R212 does not know whether {it will be} love R213 or hatred; anything awaits F122 him. 2 It R214 is the same for all. There is one R215 fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is F123 afraid to swear. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one R216 fate for all men. Furthermore, the R217 hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity R218 is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they {go} to the dead.
4 For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do R219 not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory R220 is forgotten. 6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share R221 in all that is done under the sun. 7 Go {then,} eat R222 your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. 8 Let your clothes R223 be white all the time, and let not oil R224 be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting F124 R225 life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward R226 in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do R227 {it} with {all} your might; for there is no activity R228 or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol R229 where you are going.
11 I again saw under the sun that the race R230 is not to the swift and the battle R231 is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth R232 to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance R233 overtake them all. 12 Moreover, man does not know R234 his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds R235 trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared R236 at an evil time when it suddenly R237 falls on them.
13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it F125 impressed me. 14 There was R238 a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a poor R239 wise man and he delivered F126 the city by R240 his wisdom. Yet no R241 one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. 17 The words R242 of the wise heard in quietness are {better} than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 Wisdom R243 is better than weapons of war, but one R244 sinner destroys much good.
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