Ecclesiastes 9
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
2All 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.
3This is an evil among all things that are 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.
4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5For 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.
6Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
8Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
9Live joyfully 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 this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
11I 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.
12For 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; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
14There 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:
15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- כֹּלkôlH360514× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- כִּיkîyH358812× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH83412× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- גַּםgamH157111× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- אֵתʼêthH8538× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- חַיchayH24167× in this chapter
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
- טוֹבṭôwbH28967× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- אַיִןʼayinH3697× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- לֹאlôʼH38087× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- חׇכְמָהchokmâhH24516× in this chapter
wisdom (in a good sense)
- שֶׁמֶשׁshemeshH81216× in this chapter
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement
- תַּחַתtachathH84786× in this chapter
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1205× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- הוּאhûwʼH19315× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30455× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- אֵלʼêlH4135× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- רַעraʻH74515× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- חָכָםchâkâmH24504× in this chapter
wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)
- מוּתmûwthH41914× in this chapter
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62134× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- עֵתʻêthH62564× in this chapter
time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
- גָּדוֹלgâdôwlH14193× in this chapter
great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
- זֶהzehH20883× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- אֶחָדʼechâdH2593× in this chapter
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
- לֵבlêbH38203× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- מִסְכֵּןmiçkênH45423× in this chapter
indigent
- עַלʻalH59213× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72003× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- בֵּןbênH11212× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- אַהֲבָהʼahăbâhH1602× in this chapter
{affection (in a good or a bad sense)}
- דָּבָרdâbârH16972× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- הֶבֶלhebelH18922× in this chapter
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
- הָלַךְhâlakH19802× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- זָבַחzâbachH20762× in this chapter
to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)
- חָטָאchâṭâʼH23982× in this chapter
properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn
- חֵלֶקchêleqH25062× in this chapter
properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment
- אָחַזʼâchazH2702× in this chapter
to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)
- יָדyâdH30272× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- יוֹםyôwmH31172× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- כְּבָרkᵉbârH35282× in this chapter
properly, extent of time, i.e. a great while; hence, long ago, formerly, hitherto