Ecclesiastes 9 (kjv)

For all this I considered^H5414 in my heart^H3820 even to declare^H952 all this, that the righteous^H6662, and the wise^H2450, and their works^H5652, are in the hand^H3027 of God^H430: no man^H120 knoweth^H3045 either^H1571 love^H160 or hatred^H8135 by all that is before^H6440 them.²All things come alike to all: there is one^H259 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: as is the good^H2896, so is the sinner^H2398; and he that sweareth^H7650, as he that feareth^H3373 an oath^H7621.³This is an evil^H7451 among all things that are done^H6213 under the sun^H8121, that there is one^H259 event^H4745 unto all: yea, also the heart^H3820 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.

⁴For^H4310 to him that is^H3426 joined^{H2266 H977} to all the living^H2416 there is hope^H986: for a living^H2416 dog^H3611 is better^H2896 than a dead^H4191 lion^H738.⁵For the living^H2416 know^H3045 that they shall die^H4191: but the dead^H4191 know^H3045 not any thing^H3972, neither have they any more a reward^H7939; for the memory^H2143 of them is forgotten^H7911.⁶Also their love^H160, and their hatred^H8135, and their envy^H7068, is now^H3528 perished^H6; neither have they any more a portion^H2506 for ever^H5769 in any thing that is done^H6213 under the sun^H8121.

⁷Go 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 now^H3528 accepteth^H7521 thy works^H4639.⁸Let thy garments^H899 be always^H6256 white^H3836; and let thy head^H7218 lack^H2637 no ointment^H8081.⁹Live^H2416 joyfully^H7200 with the wife^H802 whom thou lovest^H157 all the days^H3117 of the life^H2416 of thy vanity^H1892, which he hath given^H5414 thee under the sun^H8121, all the days^H3117 of thy vanity^H1892: for that is thy portion^H2506 in this life^H2416, and in thy labour^H5999 which thou takest^H6001 under the sun^H8121.¹⁰Whatsoever 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 the grave^H7585, whither thou goest^H1980.

¹¹I 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 favour^H2580 to men of skill^H3045; but time^H6256 and chance^H6294 happeneth^H7136 to them all.¹²For 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; so^H1992 are the sons^H1121 of men^H120 snared^H3369 in an evil^H7451 time^H6256, when it falleth^H5307 suddenly^H6597 upon them.

¹³This^H2090 wisdom^H2451 have I seen^H7200 also under the sun^H8121, and it seemed great^H1419 unto me:¹⁴There was a little^H6996 city^H5892, and few^H4592 men^H582 within it; and there came^H935 a great^H1419 king^H4428 against it, and besieged^H5437 it, and built^H1129 great^H1419 bulwarks^H4685 against it:¹⁵Now 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^H376.¹⁶Then said^H559 I, Wisdom^H2451 is better^H2896 than strength^H1369: nevertheless the poor man's^H4542 wisdom^H2451 is despised^H959, and his words^H1697 are not heard^H8085.¹⁷The words^H1697 of wise^H2450 men are heard^H8085 in quiet^H5183 more than the cry^H2201 of him that ruleth^H4910 among fools^H3684.¹⁸Wisdom^H2451 is better^H2896 than weapons^H3627 of war^H7128: but one^H259 sinner^H2398 destroyeth^H6 much^H7235 good^H2896.