Rhyming Ecclesiastes: Chapter 9

Rhyming Ecclesiastes: Chapter 9

A Common Destiny for All

So after I reflected on all this,
concluded, I, that both the righteous, wise,
whate’er they do, God’s hands command their fates,
but no one knows if it is love or hate,
what’s their reward, the future, them awaits.

A common destiny, all share, they would–
the righteous, wicked, both the bad and good,
the clean and unclean, off’ring sacrifice,
some will, and some think nothing with suffice.

As it is with the good, the sinful, too;
just as it is with, take their oaths, those who,
so with those who’re afraid, all oaths eschewed.

This is the evil that’s in everything
that happens ‘neath the sun: the destiny,
the same one overtakes all men on earth.
Moreover, in the people’s hearts, no dearth
of evil and there’s madness in their hearts
while they still live, and they’ll join, afterward,
the dead. Yet anyone who is among
the living, then, their hope possesed, still some–
a live dog better than a lion, dead!

The living know it ends, the life they’ve lead,
but dead men, nothing, know, no more aspire
to further gain, reward, their names forgot.
They’ve long since vanished: jealousy, love, hate,
and ne’er again will they participate
in anything that happens ‘neath the sun.
Go eat your food, with gladness, drink your wine
with joy inside your heart for God’s approved
already everything that you would do.

You e’er be clothed in white, and e’er anoint
your head with oil. Your life, you should enjoy
with her, your wife, to whom, love, you’d express,
the days God’s given you, all meaningless
ones of your life that’s ‘neath the sun–all yours,
your days are meaningless. To you, inured,
your lot in life, your labor, toilsome work
beneath the sun. Whate’er to do, its search,
your hand’s, do that will all might you’d assert,
for in the realm, the dead’s, where you’ll soon go,
there’s neither working, planning, wisdom known.

I have seen something else that’s ‘neath the sun:
The race, not always, by the swiftest, won,
nor they, in war, the strong e’er have success,
nor food is always what the wise possess,
nor to the brilliant, wealth in excess,
nor favor to the learned; but time and chance
will happen to them all. Moreso, no one
knows at the moment, when their hour has come:
As fish caught in a cruel net, that is where,
or birds are taken, trapped inside a snare,
so people, trapped, by evil times will be
that on them fall most unexpectedly.

Wisdom Better Than Folly

I, underneath the sun, saw also this,
of wisdom, an example, that impressed
me greatly: There was once a city, small
with only a few people, all in all.
And a king, powerful, against it, came,
surrounded, built huge siege works, it, against.
A poor but wise man, in that city, lived,
and by his wisdom, he, the city saved.
But nobody remembered that poor man.
So I said, “Wisdom, sure, strength, better than.”
But the poor man, his wisdom is despised,
his words, no longer heeded or admired.
The quiet words, those ones spoke by the wise,
more to be heeded than shouts that arise
from him, the king of all the fools, his cries.
Than war, its weapons, wisdom, better, is.
He can destroy much good, just one who sins.