Wisdom · Chapter 9 of 12

Ecclesiastes 9

The Preacher observes that one event, death, comes alike to the righteous and the wicked, and this troubles him. Yet while there is life there is hope, so he urges wholehearted living: eat your bread with joy, love your spouse, and work with all your might, for the grave holds no labour. He notes that time and chance touch all, and tells of a poor wise man who saved a city yet was forgotten.

What happens in Ecclesiastes 9

The righteous and wise are in God's hand, yet no one can read love or hatred from what befalls them, since one event comes to all (verses 1-3). While there is life there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion; the living know they will die, but the dead know nothing more (verses 4-6). So the Preacher commands joy: eat your bread, drink your wine, wear white garments, live happily with the wife you love, and do whatever your hand finds with all your might, for there is no work or wisdom in the grave (verses 7-10).

He observes that the race is not to the swift, for time and chance happen to all, and men are snared suddenly like fish and birds (verses 11-12). Finally he tells of a poor wise man whose wisdom delivered a besieged city, yet no man remembered him, proving wisdom better than strength though often despised (verses 13-18).

Ecclesiastes 9 in context

Chapter 9 sits at the heart of Ecclesiastes' meditation on death, the great leveller. Traditionally Solomonic, it refuses easy answers about why one fate meets righteous and wicked alike. Yet it is not despairing: from the shadow of the grave it presses the reader toward grateful, energetic living now.

The closing parable of the forgotten wise man reflects the book's honesty about how little the world values true wisdom.

Main themes of Ecclesiastes 9

Ecclesiastes 9 (KJV)

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.

Verses to carry from Ecclesiastes 9

“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.”Ecclesiastes 9:7

“I 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.”Ecclesiastes 9:11

“Now 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.”Ecclesiastes 9:15

Reflection

Death makes the present moment weighty, not worthless. Ecclesiastes urges you to eat, love, and work today with wholehearted gladness, as gifts from God's hand rather than guarantees you control. And when your best service goes unnoticed, remember the forgotten wise man, and the Saviour who was despised yet delivered many.

A prayer from Ecclesiastes 9