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.
6
Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.
7
Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.
8
Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
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.
10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
11
I returned and saw under the sun that-- The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.
12
For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.
13
This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
14
There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it.
15
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.