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Ecclesiastes

Questions the meaning of life and the value of worldly pursuits, concluding that fearing God is important.

Chapter 9

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1 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

*I thought about this carefully in my mind to share it: The good and smart people, along with their actions, are under God's control. No one can truly know if they are loved or hated based on what happens in front of them.

2 All things come alike to all: there is 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; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

*Everyone experiences similar things: there's one event for righteous and wicked people, good and unclean ones, those who sacrifice and those who don't. The good person is like the sinner, and someone who swears is like someone who fears swearing an oath.

3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

*This is a bad thing that happens with everything done in the world: everyone experiences the same outcome. People's hearts are filled with wickedness and crazy thoughts while they're alive, and when they die, they stop living.

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

*For those connected to all living beings, there is hope; a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

*The living understand they will die, but the dead don't know anything and have no rewards left; their memories are forgotten.

6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

*Their love, hate, and jealousy no longer exist. They won't own anything forever in anything happening under the sun.

7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

*"Go ahead, enjoy your food with happiness, and drink your drinks cheerfully; because God is pleased with what you do."

8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

*Keep your clothes clean and white, and never run out of oil for your hair.

9 Live joyfully 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 this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

*Enjoy your loved wife throughout your life, as this is your share in this world, along with the work you do here under the sun.

10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

*Do whatever your hands can do with all your strength, because there's nothing you can do or plan or know 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 men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

*I came back and noticed that life isn't always fair. Speed doesn't guarantee success, nor strength in a fight. Intelligence doesn't guarantee food, and being rich doesn't mean you're smart. Favor isn't reserved for skilled people either. Everything happens because of time and chance for everyone.

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

*People don't know when their time will come, just like fish trapped in a bad net or birds caught in a trap. Similarly, people can be unexpectedly caught in a bad time.

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

*I saw this wisdom too while observing life, and it appeared very impressive to me.

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

*There was a small town with not many people. A powerful king attacked it, surrounded it, and built big defensive walls around it.

15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

*In it, a smart but poor man was discovered. He used his wisdom to save the city. But nobody remembered that poor man afterwards.

16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

*Then I said, it's better to be wise than strong. But sadly, the wise poor person's ideas are ignored, and no one listens to what they say.

17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

*Wise people's words are listened to better in calm situations than a ruler's shout among foolish people.

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

*Wisdom is more valuable than war tools: however, one bad person can ruin a lot of good things.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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