Ecclesiastes 9:1

Bible in Basic English (1941)

All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Deut 33:3 : 3 All his holy ones are at his hand; they go at his feet; they are lifted up on his wings.
  • Eccl 8:14 : 14 There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.
  • Job 12:10 : 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
  • John 10:27-30 : 27 My sheep give ear to my voice, and I have knowledge of them, and they come after me: 28 And I give them eternal life; they will never come to destruction, and no one will ever take them out of my hand. 29 That which my Father has given to me has more value than all; and no one is able to take anything out of the Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.
  • 1 Cor 3:5-9 : 5 What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? They are but servants who gave you the good news as God gave it to them. 6 I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God gave the increase. 7 So then the planter is nothing, and the waterer is nothing; but God who gives the increase. 8 Now the planter and the waterer are working for the same end: but they will have their separate rewards in the measure of their work. 9 For we are workers with God: you are God's planting, God's building. 10 In the measure of the grace given to me, I, as a wise master-builder, have put the base in position, and another goes on building on it. But let every man take care what he puts on it. 11 For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ. 12 But on the base a man may put gold, silver, stones of great price, wood, dry grass, cut stems; 13 Every man's work will be made clear in that day, because it will be tested by fire; and the fire itself will make clear the quality of every man's work. 14 If any man's work comes through the test, he will have a reward. 15 If the fire puts an end to any man's work, it will be his loss: but he will get salvation himself, though as by fire.
  • 2 Tim 1:12 : 12 And for which I undergo these things: but I have no feeling of shame. For I have knowledge of him in whom I have faith, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have given into his care till that day.
  • 1 Pet 1:5 : 5 Who, by the power of God are kept, through faith, for that salvation, which will be seen at the last day.
  • 1 Sam 2:9 : 9 He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the evil-doers will come to their end in the dark night, for by strength no man will overcome.
  • 2 Sam 15:25-26 : 25 And the king said to Zadok, Take the ark of God back into the town: if I have grace in the eyes of the Lord, he will let me come back and see it and his House again: 26 But if he says, I have no delight in you: then, here I am; let him do to me what seems good to him.
  • Job 5:8 : 8 But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:
  • Ps 10:14 : 14 You have seen it; for your eyes are on sorrow and grief, to take it into your hand: the poor man puts his faith in you; you have been the helper of the child who has no father.
  • Ps 31:5 : 5 Into your hands I give my spirit; you are my saviour, O Lord God for ever true.
  • Ps 37:5-6 : 5 Put your life in the hands of the Lord; have faith in him and he will do it. 6 And he will make your righteousness be seen like the light, and your cause like the shining of the sun.
  • Ps 73:3 : 3 Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.
  • Ps 73:11-13 : 11 And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High? 12 Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased. 13 As for me, I have made my heart clean to no purpose, washing my hands in righteousness;
  • Prov 16:3 : 3 Put your works into the hands of the Lord, and your purposes will be made certain.
  • Eccl 1:17 : 17 And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
  • Eccl 7:15 : 15 These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.
  • Eccl 7:25 : 25 I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.
  • Eccl 8:16 : 16 When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),
  • Eccl 10:14 : 14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?
  • Eccl 12:9-9 : 9 And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings. 10 The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
  • Isa 26:12 : 12 Lord, you will give us peace: for all our works are the outcome of your purpose.
  • Isa 49:1-4 : 1 Give ear, O sea-lands, to me; and take note, you peoples from far: I have been marked out by the Lord from the first; when I was still in my mother's body, he had my name in mind: 2 And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shade of his hand he has kept me; and he has made me like a polished arrow, keeping me in his secret place; 3 And he said to me, You are my servant, Israel, in whom my glory will be seen; 4 And I said, I have undergone weariness for nothing, I have given my strength for no purpose or profit: but still the Lord will take up my cause, and my God will give me my reward.
  • Jer 1:18-19 : 18 For see, this day have I made you a walled town, and an iron pillar, and walls of brass, against all the land, against the kings of Judah, against its captains, against its priests, and against the people of the land. 19 They will be fighting against you, but they will not overcome you: for I am with you, says the Lord, to give you salvation.
  • Mal 3:15-18 : 15 And now to us the men of pride seem happy; yes, the evil-doers are doing well; they put God to the test and are safe. 16 Then those in whom was the fear of the Lord had talk together: and the Lord gave ear, and it was recorded in a book to be kept in mind before him, for those who had the fear of the Lord and gave thought to his name. 17 And they will be mine, says the Lord, in the day when I make them my special property; and I will have mercy on them as a man has mercy on his son who is his servant. 18 Then you will again see how the upright man is different from the sinner, and the servant of God from him who is not.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 9:2-3
    2 verses
    80%

    2Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.

    3This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that--to the dead.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    79%

    16When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),

    17Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    79%

    13And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

    14I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 8:9-10
    2 verses
    78%

    9All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.

    10And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 3:14-18
    5 verses
    77%

    14I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.

    15Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.

    16And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.

    17I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.

    18I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.

  • Eccl 3:9-12
    4 verses
    77%

    9What profit has the worker in the work which he does?

    10I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.

    11He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.

    12I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.

  • Eccl 2:17-22
    6 verses
    77%

    17So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.

    18Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.

    19And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.

    20So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

    21Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

    22What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?

  • Eccl 3:22
    77%

    22So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

  • Eccl 8:14
    77%

    14There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 2:10-12
    3 verses
    76%

    10And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.

    11Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

    12And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.

  • Eccl 9:13
    76%

    13This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.

  • Eccl 9:10-11
    2 verses
    76%

    10Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going.

    11And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.

  • Eccl 1:17
    76%

    17And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

  • Eccl 9:6
    76%

    6Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun.

  • Eccl 1:9
    75%

    9That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

  • Eccl 7:13-15
    3 verses
    75%

    13Give thought to the work of God. Who will make straight what he has made bent?

    14In the day of wealth have joy, but in the day of evil take thought: God has put the one against the other, so that man may not be certain what will be after him.

    15These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.

  • Eccl 2:24-26
    3 verses
    75%

    24There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.

    25Who may take food or have pleasure without him?

    26To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 6:12
    74%

    12Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 2:14-15
    2 verses
    74%

    14The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.

    15Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    74%

    3Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.

    4And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

  • Job 12:9
    74%

    9Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?

  • Eccl 8:6-7
    2 verses
    74%

    6For every purpose there is a time and a decision, because the sorrow of man is great in him.

    7No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?

  • Eccl 7:25
    74%

    25I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.

  • Eccl 6:1
    73%

    1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;