Ecclesiastes 9 Commentary

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THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES The Search for Significance The Quest for Contentment The Pursuit of Purpose
Exploration			Exhortation
All is Vanity	Vanity of Doing	Vanity of Having	Vanity of Being	Using Life Well	Source of True Living
Eccl 1:1-18	Eccl 2:1-26	Eccl 3:1-6:12	Eccl 7:1-9:18	Eccl 10:1-11:10	Eccl 12:1-14
Declaration of Vanity	Demonstration of Vanity		Deliverance from Vanity
Subject	Sermons		Summary
Fickleness of Life Versus Fear of the Lord
Place: "Under the Sun"
Decades of Searching (in the days of King Solomon) circa 936BC
King Solomon Author

Ecclesiastes 9:1 For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:1 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.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:1 For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:1 So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated– no one knows what lies ahead.

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:1 ὅτι σὺν πᾶν τοῦτο ἔδωκα εἰς καρδίαν μου καὶ καρδία μου σὺν πᾶν εἶδεν τοῦτο ὡς οἱ δίκαιοι καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ καὶ ἐργασίαι αὐτῶν ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ θεοῦ καί γε ἀγάπην καί γε μῖσος οὐκ ἔστιν εἰδὼς ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὰ πάντα πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:1 I saw that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: yea, there is no man that knows either love or hatred, though all are before their face.

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:1 Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God's hands. People don't know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them.

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:1 So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:1 This, 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.

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:1 But all this I have laid unto my heart, so as to clear up the whole of this, that the righteous and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred doth man know, the whole is before them.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:1 Yes, I have applied myself to all this and experienced all this to be so: that is to say, that the upright and the wise, with their activities, are in the hands of God. We do not understand either love or hate, where we are concerned, both of them are

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:1 All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. Everything that confronts them

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:1 All this I have kept in mind and recognized: the just, the wise, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Love from hatred man cannot tell; both appear equally vain,

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:1 Now, I have carefully thought about all this, and I explain it in this way: Righteous people and wise people, along with their accomplishments, are in God's hands. No one knows whether there will be love or hatred.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:1 All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate man does not know. Everything before them is vanity,

• considered in my heart: Heb. gave, or set to my heart, Ec 1:17 7:25 8:16 12:9,10 
• that the: Ec 8:14 De 33:3 1Sa 2:9 2Sa 15:25,26 Job 5:8 Ps 10:14 31:5 Ps 37:5,6 Pr 16:3 Isa 26:12 49:1-4 Jer 1:18,19 Joh 10:27-30 1Co 3:5-15 2Ti 1:12 1Pe 1:5 
• no man: Ec 7:15 Ps 73:3,11-13 Mal 3:15-18 

Related Passages:

Ecclesiastes 7:15  I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

Psalm 31:15  My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me. 

Romans 8:28  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. 

IN THE HANDS OF OUR
SOVEREIGN CREATOR

This verse begins a new section in Ecclesiastes (chapters 9–11), in which Solomon reflects deeply on: The certainty of death, The unpredictability of life, and The call to enjoy God’s gifts while we can.

Warren Wiersbe adds "In this chapter, Solomon drew two conclusions: death is unavoidable (Ec 9:1-10) and life is unpredictable (Ec 9:11-18). That being the case, the best thing we can do is trust God, live by faith, and enjoy whatever blessings God gives us." (Bible Exposition Commentary)

William Barrick calls Ecclesiastes 9 Imperatives for Living Wisely.  In conclusion, the Preacher determines to fear God, obey God, and enjoy life
(Eccl 9:1–12:14) Whereas Eccl 8 focuses on the work of God as one of its themes, Eccl 9 returns to an emphasis on the human condition. Solomon mentions God only twice in Eccl 9 (Eccl 9:1 and Eccl 9:7). However, those occurrences come “at crucial junctures in his argument.” (Greidanus, Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes) Ec 9:7–9a provide the thematic core of the chapter. In fact, they present the most emphatic of the enjoyment passages in the book.

For Ecclesiastes 9:1 builds directly upon the theme of human limitation in Ec 8:16–17. After admitting we can’t grasp God’s works, Solomon now affirms that God holds our lives—but we still can’t predict what will happen to us. Glenn feels that "This verse closely relates Ec 9:2-10 to the preceding section, as indicated in the NIV translation "So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands."

I have taken all this to my heart - Literally "I gave to my heart” which describes his deep reflection, meditation and contemplation. In other words, Solomon is saying, “I’ve carefully thought through everything I’ve just said.”

Donald Glenn feels the all this "is human ignorance of the significance of righteousness and wickedness in God's sovereign disposition of adversity and prosperity (chaps. 7-8). Solomon "concluded" (lit., "my heart saw") from his prior reflections "on all this" that people are not masters of their own fate; people and "what they do" are subject to God's sovereign will (i.e., they "are in God's hands"; cf. Prov. 21:1 for a similar use of this figure). Since one does not know God's providence, neither does he know whether he will experience prosperity or adversity, or whether he will be the object of love or hate (for a similar use of these two nouns; cf. Mal. 1:2-3). (See The Bible Knowledge Commentary Wisdom - Page 281)

William Barrick - The phraseology, “I have taken . . . to my heart” (Eccl 9:1), occurs also in Eccl 1:13, 17; 8:9, 16. In fact, Solomon opens his discourse with this kind of statement and then repeats it in the second half of the book. The presence of the phraseology in Eccl 8:16 and Eccl 9:1 furnishes a transition from chapter 8 to chapter 9. Similar phraseology appears in Eccl 7:2 and a negative form of it in Eccl 7:21 (“do not take seriously” literally reads, “do not give your heart to”). The “heart” involves his “total consciousness—not solely intellectual reason, but experiential insight that has been gained through the avenues and alleys of emotional, sensual, physical and spiritual experience.” (Fredericks) Thus, Solomon applies more than his brain to his search for an explanation for life’s paradoxes. That to which he applies himself in the search consists of “all this,” which includes what has already been written as well as that which is yet ahead in the book (Bartholomew)—in other words, the whole gamut of human existence and earthly life.

And explain (bur - make clear) it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God (see discussion of Hand of the Lord) - Righteous men are those who are morally upright. Wise men are those who know how to live skillfully in the fear of the Lord and the bounds of the Word of God. The phrase In the hand of God  signifies divine sovereignty, protection, and control. What better hands could a created being be in then in the omnipotent hand of God? Solomon is saying that the destiny of even the righteous and wise is ultimately in God’s hands, not their own. This is both comforting and mysterious. And if you wrestle with the attribute of God's sovereignty, this truth might even "rub you the wrong way!" 

Michael Eaton on their deeds are in the hand of God - in the hand of is a well-known expression meaning ‘at the disposal of’ (Gen. 14:20; 16:6, etc.), ‘under the supervision of’ (Gen. 9:2, etc.), or ‘in the care of’ (best here; cf. Esth. 2:3, 8; Job 12:10; Ps. 31:5, etc.).....the point is that the treatment the righteous will receive is unknown; who can tell what the future will bring? Righteousness and wisdom have no built-in guarantees of an easy life. (Borrow Ecclesiastes)

Warren Wiersbe emphasizes that "Solomon was not suggesting that we are passive actors in a cosmic drama, following an unchangeable script handed to us by an uncaring director. Throughout this book, Solomon has emphasized our freedom of discernment and decision. But only God knows what the future holds for us and what will happen tomorrow because of the decisions we make today. (Bible Exposition Commentary)

William Barrick notes that "Nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible does “explain” (bur) translate the word Solomon uses in verse 1. The word for “explanation” (cheshbon) in Eccl 7:25, 27 comes from a different root word (chashab - to think). The word employed here occurs only one other time (Eccl 3:18, “tested” ED: CORRECTION - THIS IS NOT "BUR" BUT BARAR - TO PURIFY). NRSV and ESV offer a better translation for Eccl 9:1 with “examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God.” Solomon reminds his readers of the reason for examining life in such detail and with such intensity. Yet, he does not focus his search on man apart from God or an awareness of the presence of God, because he recognizes that God is in control of “the righteous and the wise and their deeds.”

Solomon reveals his conviction that the power of God
controls the lives of the righteous/wise....
Human beings do not exercise total control over their circumstances—
they are not sovereign, God is.

William Barrick on righteous men, wise men - Scripture pairs “righteous” and “wise” in only seven texts (Deut 16:19; Prov 9:9; 11:30; 23:24; Eccl 7:16; 9:1; Hos 14:9). Ecclesiastes 7:16–17 contrasts righteous and wise with wicked and foolish. The three texts in Proverbs juxtapose the two characteristics (righteous and wise) in a way that indicates that the righteous are the wise and the wise are the righteous. Such appears to be the understanding in the Law (Dt 16:19) and in the prophets (Hos 14:9). By stating that “their deeds are in the hand of God,” Solomon reveals his conviction that the power of God controls the lives of the righteous/wise. His father, David, employed a similar phrase when faced with God’s inescapable judgment on the nation of Israel: “Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (2 Sam 24:14+). The first enjoyment passage (Eccl 2:24+) speaks of “the hand of God” as the source for man’s enjoyment of food, drink, and labor. Human beings do not exercise total control over their circumstances—they are not sovereign, God is. The righteous/wise, as servants (= slaves) of God, must recognize His Lordship and, like David, rest in His mercies even when facing the end of life “under the sun”—death.

Man does not know (repeated in Ec 9:12, 10:14, cf Ec 11:2,6) whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him - Solomon is saying that even the most faithful person cannot predict whether their future will hold affection or animosity, blessing or adversity. The future of all men under the sun is entirely uncertain. Even the righteous do not get to control or predict the circumstances of the future. Of course, for believers we know that after our time "under the sun," our future is secure in Christ, for in His hands there are pleasures forever (Ps 16:11).

William Barrick To what does “love or hatred” refer? Fredericks takes the view that these two actions relate to mankind’s actions, not God’s. His primary argument relates to the inclusio formed by the two words in Eccl 9:1 and Eccl 9:6. Eccl 9:6 adds “their zeal,” perhaps a reference to jealousy, making the overall reference mankind rather than God. In other words, people have no clue regarding how others might receive them day by day. The wise and righteous encounter love in some situations, but hate in others. They have no prior knowledge of how people will treat them in the future. (Ecclesiastes) A different understanding of the meaning of “love or hatred” arises with the Old Testament’s association of God’s love or hate with acceptance or rejection in Malachi 1:2–3. In the light of such references, Ecclesiastes 9:1 would seem to refer to the unpredictability of God’s favor. Such favor might be restricted to some form of prosperity. (Reichart and A. Cohen, Ecclesiastes) Lack of favor indicates adversity of some sort. Since the deeds of righteous people “are in the hand of God,” all His people are subject to Him. (The following commentators opt for the divine view as opposed to the human view: Bartholomew, Ecclesiastes, 299; Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes: Total Life, Everyman’s Bible Commentary, 94; Philip Ryken, Ecclesiastes, 204; Tremper Longman III, The Book of Ecclesiastes, 227) With God’s control in mind, Solomon speaks of the inability of people to know whether God’s love or hate awaits them. (Bartholomew) After all, divine control dominates the context, making it unlikely that the reference would be to human emotions. (Roland Murphy, Ecclesiastes)

Anything awaits him - the idea throughout the variety of translations is that
the events yet to come in a person’s life “under the sun” remain unknown.

Anything awaits him - Barrick says "Anything awaits him” (literally, “the all before them”) closes this first verse. Variety in the English versions reflects the translators’ uncertainty: “anything awaits him” (NASU, NASB) “Everything that confronts them” (NRSV) “Everything before them is vanity” (RSV—representing an addition to the text) “by anything they see before them” (NKJV); “by all that is before them” (KJV) “all is before them” (NJPS, JPS, ASV) “both are before him” (ESV) “Everything lies ahead of them” (HCSB)  “no one knows what lies ahead” (NET—connecting the phrase more closely with what comes before it; cp. NIV). Based upon the preceding statement regarding ignorance about whether one will encounter or receive love or hatred, the idea throughout the variety of translations is that the events yet to come in a person’s life “under the sun” remain unknown. Meanwhile, the righteous/wise will rest in the confidence that God controls what happens.

Philip G Ryken adds that "As the Preacher struggled with this question—is God for us or against us? (ED: SEE MY NOTE AT END OF THIS PARAGRAPH)—he discovered that it was virtually impossible to answer this question simply by looking at people's circumstances. Many people assume that if there is a God, he will reward his followers with earthly prosperity. If we want to know whether God is for someone or against someone, therefore, all we have to do is count their earthly blessings. This is not how God operates, however. As far as the Preacher could tell, he seems to treat everyone more or less the same, which makes it hard to figure out whether he "loves" us or "hates" us." (See Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters) (ED: I MUST INTERJECT THAT FROM A NT PERSPECTIVE WHICH SOLOMON DID NOT HAVE, AS A BELIEVER, WE CAN KNOW WITH CERTAINTY THE TRUTH OF Ro 8:31 " What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?")

This verse captures two critical themes of Ecclesiastes: The Sovereignty of God which teaches that everything is in God's hands and that the lives, actions, and futures of the righteous are not outside His control. Secondly, it speaks to the Mystery of Providence that God is in control, and we cannot predict what life will bring. The righteous might suffer. The wicked might prosper as he has taught in previous passages. The visible outcomes do not always match spiritual realities. This truth echoes the lament of Job and the insight of Psalm 73:1-28.

"Trusting the God Who Holds Tomorrow” Solomon speaks for anyone who’s ever thought: “If I live rightly, will life go well for me?” And his answer? Not always. Not predictably. But everything is still in God’s hand. Even when you cannot foresee what’s coming—a trial or a blessing, peace or conflict—you can rest in this: You are in the hand of God. You don’t need to know the future when you know the One who holds it.

PLAY THE SONG BY THE NEWSBOYS - IN THE HANDS OF GOD. Do you believe the great truth that you are in the hands of the God? God sovereignly governs the lives of the righteous and wise. Life's outcomes are unpredictable—even for godly people. Being in God’s hand is better than understanding what’s coming. Faith does not guarantee ease—but it anchors us in uncertainty. We must live faithfully even when outcomes are unclear. Surrender your future to God's providence. Trust His hand when you cannot see His plan. Do not judge your spiritual standing by your circumstances. Hardship does not mean abandonment. Encourage others facing uncertainty. Remind them they are in God’s hand. Practice humility in your plans. Say, “If the Lord wills…” (James 4:15). Keep doing good—regardless of what it may bring.

 

Ecclesiastes 9:2  It is the same for all. There is one 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 afraid to swear.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:2 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.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:2 All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:2 Everyone shares the same fate– the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the ceremonially clean and unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. What happens to the good person, also happens to the sinner; what happens to those who make vows, also happens to those who are afraid to make vows.

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:2 ματαιότης ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν συνάντημα ἓν τῷ δικαίῳ καὶ τῷ ἀσεβεῖ τῷ ἀγαθῷ καὶ τῷ κακῷ καὶ τῷ καθαρῷ καὶ τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ καὶ τῷ θυσιάζοντι καὶ τῷ μὴ θυσιάζοντι ὡς ὁ ἀγαθός ὧς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων ὧς ὁ ὀμνύων καθὼς ὁ τὸν ὅρκον φοβούμενος

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:2 Vanity is in all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good, and to the bad; both to the pure, and to the impure; both to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifice not: as is the good, so is the sinner: as is the swearer, even so is he that fears an oath.

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:2 Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath.

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:2 It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:2 All share a common destiny--the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:2 The 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.

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:2 The whole is as to the whole; one event is to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, and to him who is sacrificing, and to him who is not sacrificing; as is the good, so is the sinner, he who is swearing as he who is fearing an oath.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:2 futile. And for all of us is reserved a common fate, for the upright and for the wicked, for the good and for the bad; whether we are ritually pure or not, whether we offer sacrifice or not: it is the same for the good and for the sinner, for someone who takes a vow, as for someone who fears to do so.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:2 is vanity, since the same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those who swear are like those who shun an oath.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:2 in that there is the same lot for all, for the just and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for him who offers sacrifice and him who does not. As it is for the good man, so it is for the sinner; as it is for him who swears rashly, so it is for him who fears an oath.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:2 Everything turns out the same way for everyone. All people will share the same destiny, whether they are righteous, wicked, or good, clean or unclean, whether they offer sacrifices or don't offer sacrifices. Good people are treated like sinners. People who take oaths are treated like those who are afraid to take oaths.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:2 Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:2 since one fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good man, so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.

• It is the same for all: Ec 2:14-16 Job 21:7-34 Ps 73:3 Mal 3:15 
• as is: Ec 2:26 7:18 8:12-14 
• feareth: Ge 24:3,8,9 Jos 2:17-20 1Sa 14:26 Eze 17:18,19 Zec 5:3,4 Mal 3:5,18 

Related Passages: 

Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

Ecclesiastes 2:14-15  The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. 15 Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

The Level Ground of the Grave for All.

THE UNAVOIDABLE
APPOINTMENT

It is the same for all. There is one fate - This is a straightforward statement of one fate for all men and in context that fate is death. It is interesting that Solomon moves from the unpredictable fate of men during life, to the perfectly predictable fate of all men after life. Death is the single, inevitable event that awaits all people under the sun.

Solomon then gives a list of the "all" with several contrasting pairs, in each the "good" followed by the bad. There is no distinction in the outcome—whether good or evil, all share the same earthly 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 afraid to swear - The upshot of this lists of good/bad is that no group is immune from the fate of death. Solomon does not mention taxes as we often hear folks say the two things you cannot avoid are "Death and Taxes." Actually, some people people, either through cleverness or crime can avoid taxes, but no one avoids death! 

William Barrick  Solomon continues his discourse with yet another very brief and enigmatic declaration, “It is the same for all” (literally, “The all just as for the all”). Coming back-to-back with the close of Eccl 9:1, the two statements form a hinge. The repetition of “the all” brings to mind the refrain that occurs throughout the book: “All is vanity.” Every individual, regardless of their level of spiritual commitment (or lack thereof), falls prey to the fallen character of mankind. (Fredericks) Every individual will someday experience death— that is the universal condition faced by all human beings (Eccl 9:2). Solomon lists a number of examples: the righteous compared to the wicked, the good and clean compared to the unclean (Provan), the person with a sacrifice compared to the person without a sacrifice, the good person compared with the sinner,  the one who vows compared with the person who makes no vow. In the last pair, Eaton understands the first as one who takes an oath by the Lord’s name as part of promising allegiance to God’s covenant. The opposite would be a person who avoids such loyalty to the divine covenant. (Eaton) On the other side of the matter, these could be the person who perjures himself, not taking their oath seriously, compared to someone having a “proper reverence for the seriousness of oaths.”(Seow) Eaton’s view offers the better option, since it preserves the order of good before bad throughout all five sets of examples. The point is that everyone without exception faces death. Considering the inevitability of death in everyone’s life, it is astonishing that people, knowing death is imminent, still “fill their lives with the distractions of a thousand passions and squander what little time they have to immediate but insignificant worries.” (Garrett) This is the very thought which Solomon will develop more fully in the coming chapters. He advises that everyone avoid the distractions, focus on what is important, and use the remainder of one’s life wisely." 

Warren Wiersbe on it is the same for all (death) -  If so, why bother to live a godly life?" someone may ask. "After all, whether we obey the Law or disobey, bring sacrifices or neglect them, make or break promises, we will die just the same." Yes, we share a common destiny on earth—death and the grave—but we do not share a common destiny in eternity. For that reason, everybody must honestly face "the last enemy" (1 Cor. 15:26+) and decide how to deal with it. Christians have trusted Jesus Christ to save them from sin and death, so, as far as they are concerned, "the last enemy" has been defeated (Ro 6:23; John 11:25-26; 1Th 4:13-18; 1Co 15:51-58). Unbelievers don't have that confidence and are unprepared to die. (Bible Exposition Commentary)

“Death Is Certain—Live Accordingly” We live in a world that hides death behind distractions. But Solomon pulls the curtain aside and says: Look—it comes for everyone. The good. The wicked. The clean. The unclean. If death is certain for all, what matters is how we live in light of that truth: Are we ready? Do we fear God? Do we invest in what lasts beyond death? You cannot escape death—but you can be ready for it. Live with urgency and eternal perspective. Use your time wisely (Eccl. 9:10)—your earthly toil is temporary. You don’t know how many days you have left. Anchor your hope in Christ Who Alone conquered death (1Co 15:57) and gives eternal life (Jn 11:25-26) Share the gospel of Jesus Christ at every opportunity God gives you, because every soul will face death.

Ecclesiastes 9:3  This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:3 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.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives– then they die.

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:3 τοῦτο πονηρὸν ἐν παντὶ πεποιημένῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὅτι συνάντημα ἓν τοῖς πᾶσιν καί γε καρδία υἱῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπληρώθη πονηροῦ καὶ περιφέρεια ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν ἐν ζωῇ αὐτῶν καὶ ὀπίσω αὐτῶν πρὸς τοὺς νεκρούς

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:3 There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yea, the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after that they go to the dead.

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live-- after that they go to the dead.

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:3 It 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.

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil among all that hath been done under the sun, that one event is to all, and also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after it -- unto the dead.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is another evil among those occurring under the sun: that there should be the same fate for everyone. The human heart, however, is full of wickedness; folly lurks in our hearts throughout our lives, until we end among the dead.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:3 Among all the things that happen under the sun, this is the worst, that things turn out the same for all. Hence the minds of men are filled with evil, and madness is in their hearts during life; and afterward they go to the dead.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is the tragedy of everything that happens under the sun: Everyone shares the same destiny. Moreover, the hearts of mortals are full of evil. Madness is in their hearts while they are still alive. After that, they join the dead.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that -- to the dead.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all; also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

• also: Ec 8:11 Ge 6:5 8:21 Job 15:16 Ps 51:5 Jer 17:9 Mt 15:19,20 Mk 7:21-23 Ro 1:29-31 Tit 3:3 
• and madness: Ec 1:17 7:25 Lu 6:11 15:17 Ac 26:11,24 2Pe 2:16 
• after: Ec 12:7 Pr 14:32 Ac 12:23 

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

Death is not an accident, it's an appointment (Heb. 9:27),
a destiny that nobody but God can cancel or change.

Warren Wiersbe - I'm not afraid to die;" quipped Woody Allen, "I just don't want to be there when it happens." But he will be there when it happens, as must every human being, because there is no escaping death when your time has come. Death is not an accident, it's an appointment (Heb. 9:27) (ED: WHO "BOOKED" THE APPOINTMENT? THE SOVEREIGN GOD!), a destiny that nobody but God can cancel or change. (Bible Exposition Commentary)

Ecclesiastes 9:4  For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But whoever is among14 the living15 has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:4 ὅτι τίς ὃς κοινωνεῖ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς ζῶντας ἔστιν ἐλπίς ὅτι ὁ κύων ὁ ζῶν αὐτὸς ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ τὸν λέοντα τὸν νεκρόν

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:4 for who is he that has fellowship with all the living? there is hope of him: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But there is hope for whoever is joined1 with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion.

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:4 Anyone who is among the living has hope1--even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:4 There is hope only for the living. As they say, "It's better to be a live dog than a dead lion!"

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But to him who is joined unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it is better than to the dead lion.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But there is hope for someone still linked to the rest of the living: better be a live dog than a dead lion.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:4 Indeed, for any among the living there is hope; a live dog is better off than a dead lion.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But all who are among the living have hope, because a living dog is better than a dead lion.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:4 For him who is joined to all the living there is hope; a living dog is better than a dead lion.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

• Job 14:7-12 27:8 Isa 38:18 La 3:21,22 Lu 16:26-29 

For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Ecclesiastes 9:5  For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:5 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.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything; they have no further reward – and even the memory of them disappears.16

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:5 ὅτι οἱ ζῶντες γνώσονται ὅτι ἀποθανοῦνται καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ οὔκ εἰσιν γινώσκοντες οὐδέν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἔτι μισθός ὅτι ἐπελήσθη ἡ μνήμη αὐτῶν

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living will know that they shall die: but the dead know nothing, and there is no longer any reward to them; for their memory is <1> lost. {1) Gr. forgotten}

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten.1

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but athe dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for bthe memory of them is forgotten.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing;a they have no further reward, and even the memory of themb is forgotten.c

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered.

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:5 The living are at least aware that they are going to die, but the dead know nothing whatever. No more wages for them, since their memory is forgotten.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:5 The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they are to die, but the dead no longer know anything. There is no further recompense for them, because all memory of them is lost.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:5 The living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. There is no more reward for the dead when the memory of them has faded.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:5 The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them is lost.

• the living: Ec 7:2 Job 30:23 Heb 9:27 
• the dead: Job 14:21 Ps 6:5 88:10,11 Isa 63:16 
• for the: Ec 2:16 8:10 Job 7:8-10 Ps 109:15 Isa 26:14 

For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.

Ecclesiastes 9:6  Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:6 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.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:6 What they loved,17 as well as what they hated18 and envied,19 perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth.20

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:6 καί γε ἀγάπη αὐτῶν καί γε μῖσος αὐτῶν καί γε ζῆλος αὐτῶν ἤδη ἀπώλετο καὶ μερὶς οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἔτι εἰς αἰῶνα ἐν παντὶ τῷ πεποιημένῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:6 also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; yea, there is no portion for them any more for ever in all that is done under the sun.

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun.

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.a

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Whatever they did in their lifetime -- loving, hating, envying -- is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth.

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love also, their hatred also, their envy also, hath already perished, and they have no more a portion to the age in all that hath been done under the sun.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love, their hate, their jealousy, have perished long since, and they will never have any further part in what goes on under the sun.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:6 For them, love and hatred and rivalry have long since perished. They will never again have part in anything that is done under the sun.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love, their hate, and their passions have already vanished. They will never again take part in anything that happens under the sun.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and they have no more for ever any share in all that is done under the sun.

• their love: Ex 1:8 Job 3:17,18 Ps 146:3,4 Pr 10:28 Mt 2:20 
• have they: Ec 2:18-23 6:12 

Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:7  Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your food21 with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:7 δεῦρο φάγε ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ ἄρτον σου καὶ πίε ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀγαθῇ οἶνόν σου ὅτι ἤδη εὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ ποιήματά σου

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat thy bread with mirth, and drink thy wine with a joyful heart; for now God has favourably accepted thy works.

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.1

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, aeat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your winea with a joyful heart,b for it is now that God favors what you do.

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a glad heart thy wine, for already hath God been pleased with thy works.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:7 So, eat your bread in joy, drink your wine with a glad heart, since God has already approved your actions.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart, because it is now that God favors your works.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because God has already accepted what you've done.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Come, take your bread with joy, and your wine with a glad heart. God has taken pleasure in your works.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already approved what you do.

• Go: Ge 12:19 Mk 7:29 Joh 4:50 
• eat: Ec 2:24-26 3:12,13 5:18 8:15 10:19 De 12:7,12 16:14,15 1Ki 8:66 1Ch 16:1-3 29:21-23 2Ch 30:23-27 Ne 8:10-12 
• for: Ge 4:4,5 Ex 24:8-11 Lu 11:41 Ac 10:35 

Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.

Ecclesiastes 9:8  Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head.

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:8 ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἔστωσαν ἱμάτιά σου λευκά καὶ ἔλαιον ἐπὶ κεφαλήν σου μὴ ὑστερησάτω

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let thy garments be always white; and let not oil be wanting on thine head.

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head.1

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:8 aLet your garments be always white. Let not boil be lacking on your head.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Always be clothed in white,a and always anoint your head with oil.

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:8 At all times let thy garments be white, and let not perfume be lacking on thy head.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:8 At all times, dress in white and keep your head well scented.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:8 At all times let your garments be white, and spare not the perfume for your head.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Always wear clean clothes, and never go without lotion on your head.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your clothing be white at all times, and let not your head be without oil.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your garments be always white; let not oil be lacking on your head.

• thy garments: 2Sa 19:24 Es 8:15 Rev 3:4,5 7:9,13,14 16:15 19:8,14 
• let thy head: Ru 3:3 2Sa 14:2 Da 10:3 Am 6:6 Mt 6:17 Lu 7:46 

Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head.

Ecclesiastes 9:9  Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun ; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

KJV  Ecclesiastes 9:9 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. {Live...: Heb. See, or, Enjoy life}

NKJ  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.

NET  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy22 life with your beloved wife23 during all the days of your fleeting24 life that God25 has given you on earth26 during all your fleeting days;27 for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work28 on earth.29

BGT  Ecclesiastes 9:9 ἰδὲ ζωὴν μετὰ γυναικός ἧς ἠγάπησας πάσας ἡμέρας ζωῆς ματαιότητός σου τὰς δοθείσας σοι ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον πάσας ἡμέρας ματαιότητός σου ὅτι αὐτὸ μερίς σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου καὶ ἐν τῷ μόχθῳ σου ᾧ σὺ μοχθεῖς ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον

LXE  Ecclesiastes 9:9 And <1> see life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which are given thee under the sun: for that is thy portion in thy life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun. {1) So the Heb.}

CSB  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting1 life,2 which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle3 under the sun.

ESV  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your avain1 life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your bportion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

NIV  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with your wife,a whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun--all your meaningless days. For this is your lotb in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.

NLT  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Live 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.

YLT  Ecclesiastes 9:9 See life with the wife whom thou hast loved, all the days of the life of thy vanity, that He hath given to thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity, for it is thy portion in life, even of thy labour that thou art labouring at under the sun.

NJB  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Spend your life with the woman you love, all the days of futile life God gives you under the sun, throughout your futile days, since this is your lot in life and in the effort you expend under the sun.

NRS  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

NAB  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of the fleeting life that is granted you under the sun. This is your lot in life, for the toil of your labors under the sun.

GWN  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, during all your brief, pointless life. God has given you your pointless life under the sun. This is your lot in life and what you get for the hard work that you do under the sun.

BBE  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun.

RSV  Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life which he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

• with the wife: Pr 5:18,19 18:22 19:14 Mal 2:15 
• all the days of the life: Ec 6:12 Ps 39:5 144:4 
• for: Ec 2:10,24 3:13,22 5:18 

Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun ; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:10  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

• thy hand: Nu 13:30 1Ch 22:19 28:20 29:2,3 2Ch 31:20,21 Ezr 6:14,15 Ne 2:12-20 3:1-16 4:2,6,9-13,17-23 13:8-31 Ps 71:15-18 Jer 29:13 Mt 6:33  Joh 4:34 Ro 12:11 15:18-20 1Co 9:24,26 1Co 15:10 16:10 Eph 5:16 Col 3:23 2Pe 1:12-15 
• for: Ec 9:5,6 11:3 Job 14:7-12 Ps 6:5 88:10-12 Isa 38:18,19 Joh 9:4 Ac 20:25-31 

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

Ecclesiastes 9:11  I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

• returned: Ec 2:12 4:1,4 Mal 3:18 
• that the race: 1Sa 17:50 2Sa 2:18-23 17:14,23 Ps 33:16,17 73:6,7 147:10,11 Jer 9:23 46:6 Am 2:14-16 
• but: Ec 2:14,15 3:14,17 7:13 1Sa 2:3-10 Job 5:11-14 34:29 Pr 21:30,31 La 3:37,38 Da 4:35 Eph 1:11 

I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:12  Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

• man: Ec 8:5-7,11 Lu 19:42-44 2Co 6:2 1Pe 2:12 
• as the fishes: Pr 7:22,23 Hab 1:14-17 2Ti 2:26 
• the sons: Job 18:8-10 Ps 11:6 73:18-20 Pr 6:15 29:6 Isa 30:13 Lu 12:20,39 17:26-31 21:34-36 1Th 5:3 2Pe 2:12 

Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

Ecclesiastes 9:13  Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.

• Ec 9:11 6:1 7:15 8:16 

Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.

Ecclesiastes 9:14  There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.

• There was: 2Sa 20:15-22 2Ki 6:24-33 7:1-20 

There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.

Ecclesiastes 9:15  But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

• yet: Ge 40:23 Es 6:2,3 

But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Ecclesiastes 9:16  So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded.

• Wisdom: Ec 9:18 7:19 Pr 21:22 24:5 
• the poor: Pr 10:15 Mk 6:2,3  Joh 7:47-49 9:24-34 1Co 1:26-29 Jas 2:2-6 

So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded

Ecclesiastes 9:17  The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

• Ge 41:33-40 1Sa 7:3-6 Pr 28:23 Isa 42:2,4 Jas 1:20 3:17,18 

The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

Ecclesiastes 9:18  Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

• better: Ec 9:16 
• sinner: Jos 7:1,5,11,12 22:20 1Sa 14:28,29,36-46 2Sa 20:1,2 2Th 2:8-12 2Ti 2:16-18 3:8 4:3,4 Tit 1:10,11 Heb 12:15,16 

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.