1  For all this I laid to my heart, even to make clear all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

1  I have drawn all these things through my heart, so that I might carefully understand. There are just men as well as wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. And yet a man does not know so much as whether he is worthy of love or of hatred.

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.

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.

2  But all things in the future remain uncertain, because all things happen equally to the just and to the impious, to the good and to the bad, to the pure and to the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and to those who despise sacrifices. As the good are, so also are sinners. As those who commit perjury are, so also are those who swear to the truth.

3  This is an evil in all that is 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.

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.

3  This is a very great burden among all things that are done under the sun: that the same things happen to everyone. And when the hearts of the sons of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lives, afterwards they shall be dragged down to hell.

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

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.

4  There is no one who lives forever, or who even has confidence in this regard. 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.

6  As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is long ago perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

6  Likewise, love and hatred and envy have all perished together, nor have they any place in this age and in the work which is done under the sun.

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

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

7  So then, go and eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with gladness. For your works are pleasing to God.

7  Come now, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God is pleased with your works.

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

8  Let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be absent from your head.

9  Enjoy life 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 life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun.

9  And 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.

9  Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life, because she is your portion in life, and in your labor which you labor under the sun.

10  Whatsoever thy hand attaineth to do by thy strength, that do; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

10  Whatever your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying.

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.

11  I turned myself toward another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the learned, nor grace to the skilful: but there is a time and an end for all these things.

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, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

12  Man does not know his own end. But, just as fish are caught with a hook, and birds are captured with a snare, so are men seized in the evil time, when it will suddenly overwhelm them.

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

13  This I also saw to be wisdom under the sun, and it is great before me

13  This wisdom, likewise, I have seen under the sun, and I have examined it intensely.

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;

14  suppose there were a little city, and few men in it; and there should come against it a great king, and surround it, and build great mounds against it;

14  There was a small city, with a few men in it. There came against it a great king, who surrounded it, and built fortifications all around it, and the blockade was completed.

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

15  and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom: yet no man would remember that poor man.

15  And there was found within it, a poor and wise man, and he freed the city through his wisdom, and nothing was recorded afterward of that poor man.

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

16  And I said Wisdom is better than power: yet the wisdom of the poor man is set at nought, and his words not listened to.

16  And so, I declared that wisdom is better than strength. But how is it, then, that the wisdom of the poor man is treated with contempt, and his words are not heeded?

17  The words of the wise spoken in quiet are more acceptable than the cry of a ruler among fools.

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

10:1  Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.

1  Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: and a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.

1  Dying flies ruin the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a brief and limited foolishness.

10:2  A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.

2  The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a foolish man is in his left hand.

2  A wise man's heart thinks rightly; but a fool's heart thinks wrongly.

10:3  Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

3  Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.

3  Moreover, as a foolish man is walking along the way, even though he himself is unwise, he considers everyone to be foolish.

10:4  If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

4  If the spirit of one who holds authority rises over you, do not leave your place, because attentiveness will cause the greatest sins to cease.

4  If the temper of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your country; because healing forgives many sins.

10:5  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler

10:6  Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.

6  The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.

6  a foolish man appointed to a high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath him.

10:7  I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

10:8  He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.

8  Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever tears apart a hedge, a snake will bite him.

8  He who digs a pit shall fall into it; and he who breaks a hedge will be bitten by a serpent.

10:9  Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

9  Whoever carries away stones will be harmed by them. And whoever cuts down trees will be wounded by them.

9  He who removes landmarks shall suffer pain by them; and he who cuts trees shall be wounded by them.

10:10  If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.

10  If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and in that case skill is of no advantage to a man.

10  Just as the edge of a weapon may be blunt, and not sharpened, and yet may cause many to be slain, so wisdom is more advantageous to those who are diligent.

10:11  If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.

11  If a serpent bite when there is no charmer’s whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

11  Whoever slanders in secret is nothing less than a snake that bites silently.

10:12  The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

12  Words from the mouth of a wise man are graceful, but the lips of a foolish man will throw him down with violence.

10:13  The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.

13  At the beginning of his words is foolishness, and at the end of his talk is a most grievous error.

10:14  A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

14  A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?

14  The fool multiplies his words. A man does not know what has been before him, and who is able to reveal to him what will be in the future after him?

10:15  The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

15  The hardship of the foolish will afflict those who do not know to go into the city.

15  The labor of fools wears them out because they do not know how to buy and sell in the city.

10:16  Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!

10:17  Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!

17  Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.

17  Blessed is the land whose king is noble, and whose princes eat at the proper time, for refreshment and not for self-indulgence.

10:18  By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

18  By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.

18  By laziness, a framework shall be brought down, and by the weakness of hands, a house shall collapse through.

10:19  A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

19  Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.

19  Bread and wine are made for joy, and oil makes life merry; but money brings one low and causes him to go astray in all things.

10:20  Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

20  Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.

20  You should not slander the king, even in your thoughts, and you should not speak evil of a wealthy man, even in your private chamber. For even the birds of the air will carry your voice, and whatever has wings will announce your opinion.

11:1  Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.

1  Send forth thy bread upon the face of the water: for thou shalt find it after many days.

1  Cast your bread over running waters. For, after a long time, you shall find it again.

11:2  Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

2  Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil there shall be upon the earth.

11:3  If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall in the south, or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.

3  If the clouds have been filled, they will pour forth rain upon the earth. If a tree falls to the south, or to the north, or to whatever direction it may fall, there it shall remain.

11:4  He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

4  Whoever heeds the wind will not sow. And whoever considers the clouds will never reap.

4  He who observes the wind shall not sow; and he who regards the clouds shall not reap.

11:5  As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all things.

5  As you do not know the path of the wind, and the manner of a woman who is with child; even so you do not know the works of the LORD who makes all.

11:6  In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

6  In the morning, sow your seed, and in the evening, do not let your hand cease. For you do not know which of these may rise up, the one or the other. But if both rise up together, so much the better.

11:7  And the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

7  Moreover the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

11:8  For if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

8  If a man lives for many years, and if he has rejoiced in all of these, he must remember the many days of the dark times, which, when they will have arrived, will accuse the past of vanity.

11:9  Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

9  So then, rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart remain in what is good during the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart, and with the perception of your eyes. And know that, concerning all these things, God will bring you to judgment.

9  Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; and it shall be well with you; and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things the LORD will bring you into judgment.

11:10  Therefore remove vexation from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.

10  Remove anger from your heart, and set aside evil from your flesh. For youth and pleasure are empty.

12:1  Remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say: 'I have no pleasure in them';

1  And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake thee in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

1  Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, “These do not please me.”

12:2  Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

2  While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain

2  Before life ebbs, beauty fades, fortune fails, and poverty returns after prosperity;

12:3  In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out shall be darkened in the windows,

3  when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened.

3  In the day when the legs tremble and the arms weaken, and the teeth chew no more because they are few, and the eyes are dimmed,

12:4  And the doors shall be shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding is low; and one shall start up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

12:5  Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall drag itself along, and the caperberry shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets;

12:6  Before the silver cord is snapped asunder, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel falleth shattered, into the pit;

6  before the silver cord be let go, or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

6  Remember him before the silver cord is cut off and the golden bowl is broken and the pitcher is broken at the fountain or the wheel is broken at the cistern,

12:7  And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

7  Then the dust shall return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.

12:8  Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; all is vanity.

12:9  And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

9  And because the Preacher was wise above others, so it was that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

9  And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables.

12:10  Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

10  The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, even words of truth.

10  He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth.

12:11  The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd.

12:12  And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

12  You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh.

12  Furthermore, my son, take heed; of writing many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

12:13  The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man.

13  Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man.

12:14  For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

14  And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil.