Immerse: Poets Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 273
8:12–9:11
E cclesiastes
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feel it is safe to do wrong. But even though a person sins a hundred times
and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better
off. The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will
never grow long like the evening shadows.
And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good
people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people
are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!
So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in
this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience
some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.
In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here
on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night. I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not
even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim.
This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise
people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them
favor. The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or
wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who
make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.
It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate.
Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have
no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. There is hope only for
the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”
The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They
have no further reward, nor are they remembered. Whatever they did in
their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer
play a part in anything here on earth. So go ahead. Eat your food with joy,
and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! Wear
fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!
Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days
of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is
your reward for all your earthly toil. Whatever you do, do well. For when
you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or
wisdom.
I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t
always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the
