Ecclesiastes 9

This is still an early look into the drafted text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Literal Version

9 Indeed I set my mind to examine all this

and concluded that godly and wise people and their work is in God’s hands.

Being loved or being hated, humankind doesn’t know what’s ahead of them.

2 We all have the same fate whether godly or wicked,

or good or pure or impure,

whether you sacrifice or not,

or you’re good or disobedient,

or you make a promise or you’re the subject of a promise.

3 There’s evil in everything that’s done in this world:

that same final event for everyone.

Yes, humankind’s minds are full of evil and madness during their lifetimes,

and after that they join the dead.

4 Anyone who’s joined to the living has hope,

because a dog that’s alive is better than a lion that’s dead,

5 because the living know that we’ll die

but the dead don’t know anything

and have no further reward because their memory is forgotten.

6 Their love and hatred and their envy will have already perished,

and they no longer have a part in everything that’s done in this world.

7 So go and enjoy eating your food and drinking your wine

because God has already approved what you’ve been doing.

8 Always let your clothes be clean and white,

and don’t spare the use of lotion on your head.

9 Live together with the wife that you love

for all the length of your pointless life that you’re given in this world,

because that’s your allocation in your life

and in the work that you’re doing in this world.

10 Everything that you find to do, do it well,

because in the grave where you’ll be going,

there’s no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

11 I again saw in this world

that the fastest ones don’t always win the race,

the most powerful side doesn’t always win the war,

wise people don’t always have enough to eat,

intelligent people don’t always get wealthy,

and people with understanding don’t always win favour,

because chance and timing affects them all.

12 You see, humanity doesn’t know when their time is about to be up:

just like a fish getting caught in a deadly net,

or birds that get caught in a trap,

so too people can get caught out when trouble suddenly hits them.

9 If/because DOM all _of this I _have _given to heart _of_my and_to_make _clear DOM all _of this which/who the_righteous and_the_wise and_deeds _of_their are_in_the _hand _of the_ʼElohīm both love as _well _as hatred not the_humankind is_knowing (the)_everything is_before _of_them.

2 (The)_all just_as for_all fate one belongs_to_righteous and_to_wicked to_good and_to_clean and_to_unclean and_to_who_sacrifices and_to_one_who not_he is_sacrificing as_person as_sinner the_one_who_swears _an _oath just_as an _oath one_fearing.

3 This is_an _evil in_all that it _is _done under the_sun if/because fate one belongs_to_everyone and_also the _heart _of the _children _of the_humankind is_full evil and_madness(es) is_in_heart _of_their in_lives _of_their and_after_it to the _dead_people.

4 If/because who is _the _one_who he _is _united[fn] to all _of the_living there_is hope if/because to_a _dog living it is_good more _than the_lion (the)_dead.

5 If/because the_life are_knowing that_will _die and_the _dead_people not_they are_knowing anything and_there_is_not still to/for_them a _reward if/because memorial _of_their it _is _forgotten.

6 Both love _of_their as _well _as hatred _of_their as _well _as envy _of_their already it _has _perished and_a _portion there_is_not to/for_them again forever_perpetuity in_all that it _is _done under the_sun.

7 Go eat with_joy food _of_your and_drink with_a _heart _of good wine _of_your if/because already the_ʼElohīm he _has _taken _pleasure _in DOM deeds _of_your.

8 In_all time let _them _be clothes _of_your white and_oil on head _of_your not let _it _be _lacking.

9 See life with a _wife whom you _love all _of the _days _of the _life _of your _futility _of_your which he _has _given to/for_yourself(m) under the_sun all _of the _days _of your _futility _of_your if/because it portion _of_is_your in_life and_in_toil _of_your which you are_toiling under the_sun.

10 All that hand _of_your it _finds for_doing with_strength _of_your do if/because there_is_not work and_the_scheme _of _things and_knowledge and_wisdom in_Shəʼōl where you are_going to_(to).

11 I _returned and_I _saw under the_sun if/because _that not belongs_to_ones the_race and_not belongs_to_men the_battle and_also not belongs_to_people food and_also not belongs_to_who_has _understanding wealth and_also not belongs_to_who_has _knowledge favour if/because time and_chance it _happens _to DOM of _them _of_all.

12 If/because also not the_humankind he _knows DOM time _of_his like_fish(es) which_are_caught in_a _net evil and_like_birds which_are_caught in_snare like_them the _children _of the_humankind are_ensnared to_a _time _of evil when_it_falls on_them suddenly.

9:4 OSHB variant note: יבחר: (x-qere) ’יְחֻבַּ֔ר’: lemma=2266 n=1.1 morph=HVPi3ms id=21t8g יְחֻבַּ֔ר

9:13 Wisdom is better than stupidity

13 I also saw this about wisdom in this world

and found it powerful: 14 There was a small walled city with not so many inhabitants and a powerful king decided to attack it so he surrounded it and built large siege ramps against the walls. 15 There was a poor man in the city who was wise and used his wisdom to save it from that king, but the people soon forgot about that poor man. 16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than strength and yet the poor person’s wisdom wasn’t appreciated and his words were soon forgotten.