91 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. 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 . 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 .
4 For whoever e is joined with all the living , there is hope ; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion . 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 . 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 . 7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart ; for God has already approved your works . 8 Let your clothes be white all the time , and let not oil be lacking on your head . 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 . 10 Whatever e 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 e you are going .
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 e is bread to the wise nor e wealth to the discerning nor e favor to men of ability ; for time and chance overtake them all . 12 Moreover e , 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.
13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun , and it impressed me. 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. 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 . 16 So I said , " Wisdom is better than strength ." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded . 17 The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools . 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war , but one sinner destroys much good .
