Ecclesiastes
Chapter
9
1
For all this I noted,
and
I ascertained all this . . .
that
the actions of even the righteous
and
the wise
are
'determined by'/'under the strength of' God.
Even love!
Even hate!
Man knows none of these in advance -none!
2 For the same fate is in store for all.
For
the righteous and for the wicked . . .
For
the good and the pure and for the impure . . .
For
him who sacrifices and for him who does not . . .
For
him who is pleasing and for him who is displeasing . . .
and
For him who swears and for him who shuns oaths.
3 That is the sad thing about all that goes on under the sun.
That the same fate is in store for all.
(Not
only that, but men's hearts are full of sadness,
and
their minds of madness, while they live . . .
and
then - to the dead!)
4
For he who is reckoned among the living
has
something to look forward to . . .
even
a live dog is better that a dead lion.
5~~For the living know that they will die.
But
the dead do not know anything
{no longer know what the living are doing}.
They {the dead} no longer have a reward.
For
even the memory of them has died
{the dead no longer remember the life they had on earth}.
{Purpose
and Consequence of Verse 5}
6~~
Their {pseudo} loves,
their
hates and their jealousies
have
already/'long since' perished.
Therefore,
they no longer have a share
in
all that is done under the sun.
7
Go, eat your bread in gladness,
and
drink your wine in joy . . .
for
your action was long ago approved by God.
8
Let your clothes always be washed,
and
your head never lack ointment.
{Verses
9-10 God's Grace Provision for Happiness for Unbelievers in Time -
Wife and Job - and then Sheol}
9~~
Live with happiness with the wife
whom
you continually love
all
the days of emptiness
{your vanity/empty life},
which
He has given you under the sun,
all
the days of your emptiness/vanity
{miserable outside this relationship, but happiness in the
relationship}
for
that is your portion in this life . . .
and
in your labor which you have under the sun.
{Note: This is the right man, right woman principal for the UNBELIEVER ONLY - even he can experience joy if he finds his right woman.}
10
Whatever it is in your power to do,
do
with all your might.
For
there is no action,
no
reasoning,
no
learning,
no
wisdom in Sheol/Hades {hell} . . .
where
you are going.
11
I have further observed under the sun
that
the race is not won by the swift.
Nor the battle by the valiant.
Nor is bread won by the wise.
Nor wealth by the intelligent.
Nor favor by the learned.
For the time of mischance comes to all.
12 And a man cannot even know his time.
As
fishes are enmeshed in a fatal net,
and
as birds are trapped in a snare,
so
men are caught at the time of calamity . . .
when
it comes upon them without warning.
13
This thing too I observed under the sun about wisdom . . .
and
it affected me profoundly.
14
There was a little city,
with
few men within it.
And
to it came a great king,
who
surrounded it
and
built mighty siege works against it.
15
Present in the city was a poor wise man
who
might have saved it with his wisdom,
but
nobody thought of that poor man.
16
So I observed:
Wisdom
is better than valor . . .
but
a poor man's wisdom is scorned,
and
his words are not heeded.
17
Words spoken softly by wise men are heeded
sooner
than those shouted by a lord in folly.
18 Wisdom is more valuable than weapons of war.
But a single error destroys much of value.
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