CHAPTER 9
1 I treated all these things in mine heart, to understand diligently. Just [or rightwise] men, and wise men there be, and their works be in the hand of God; and nevertheless a man knoweth not, whether he is worthy of love or of hate.
2 But all things be kept uncertain into the time to coming [or to come]; for all things befall evenly to a just [or rightwise] man and to a wicked man, to a good man and to an evil man, to a clean man and to an unclean man, to a man offering offerings and sacrifices, and to a man despising sacrifices; as a good man, so and a sinner; as a forsworn man, so and he that greatly sweareth truth.
3 This thing is the worst among all things, that be done under the sun, that the same thing befall to all men; wherefore and the hearts of the sons of men be filled with malice and with despising in their life; and after these things, they shall be led down into hells [or to hell].
4 No man there is, that liveth ever, and that hath trust of this thing; better is a quick dog than a dead lion.
5 For they that live know that they shall die; but dead men know nothing more, neither have meed further; for their mind is given to forgetting.
6 Also their love, and hatred, and envy, perished altogether; and they have no part in this world, and in the work that is done under the sun.
7 Therefore go thou, just man, and eat thy bread in gladness, and drink thy wine with joy; for thy works please God.
8 In each time thy clothes be white, and oil fail not from thine head.
9 Use thou life with the wife which thou lovest, in all the days of the life of thine unstableness, that be given to thee under the sun, in all the time of thy vanity; for this is thy part in thy life and [thy] travail, by which thou travailest under the sun.
10 Work thou busily, whatever thing thine hand may do; for neither work, neither reason, nor knowing, nor wisdom, shall be at hells [or with hell], whither thou hastest.
11 I turned me to another thing, and I saw under [the] sun, that running [or course] is not of swift men, neither battle is of strong men, neither bread is of wise men, neither riches be of teachers, nor grace is of craftsmen; but time and hap is in all things*.
12 A man knoweth not his end; but as fishes be taken with an hook, and as birds be taken with a snare, so men be taken in evil time, when it cometh suddenly [up] on them.
13 Also I saw this wisdom under the sun, and I proved it the most.
14 A little city, and few men therein; a great king came against it, and compassed it with pales, and he builded strongholds, either engines, by compass; and [the] besieging was made perfect.
15 And a poor man and a wise was found therein; and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man bethought afterward on that poor man.
16 And I said, that wisdom is better than strength; how therefore is the wisdom of a poor man despised, and his words be not heard?
17 The words of wise men be heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools.
18 Better is wisdom than armours [or arms] of battle; and he that sinneth in one thing, shall lose many goods.
* CHAPTER 9:11 That is, uncertainty, that oweth to refrain a man from pride.