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Ecc 9:1 For 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.
Ecc 9:2 All 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.
Ecc 9:3 This 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.
Ecc 9:4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Ecc 9:5 For 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.
Ecc 9:6 Also 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.
Ecc 9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
Ecc 9:8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
Ecc 9:9 Live 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.

Introduction

The one thing King Solomon never once questions is the sovereign hand of God in the affairs of mankind. As a naturally minded man, he may not like the way God is working, but like Job, King Solomon never once questions God’s sovereignty. He told us in Proverbs that the preparations of our very thoughts and the words of our mouths were both “of the Lord”.

Pro 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Now he is reaffirming the sovereign hand of God is directing all “the works” of mankind:

Ecc 9:1 For 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.

“Declare all of this” refers specifically to the contents of the previous chapter. King Solomon, like Eliphaz, Job’s eldest ‘miserable comforter’, told Job:

Job 5:27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

While he is not knowingly making a confession, it is nevertheless because of King Solomon’s emptiness and frustration that he wants to “declare all this”, and he wants us to know what he sees is the end of those who turn their back on the True God for the false gods of their wives which typify false doctrines and churches.
King Solomon, as an Old Testament type of each of us in our own time, is overcome by the false doctrines of his many pagan wives, which he was told he was never to take to himself:

1Ki 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
1Ki 11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
1Ki 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
1Ki 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Here is the New Testament version of 1Ki 11:2:

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

King Solomon, typifying us, did not “abide in the doctrine of Christ”, and instead received a thousand strange women into his house to love them and take them as his wives, instead of clinging to “the doctrine of Christ”.
These last two verses of the previous chapter will serve to remind us of the frustration and emptiness King Solomon, as the type of our natural, earthy, old man, feels as he struggles to understand “the business… [ and] all the work of God… done upon the earth”.

Ecc 8:16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
Ecc 8:17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

Though a wise man think to know… all the work of God… the business that is done upon the earth… yet shall he not be able to… know [ or understand] either [ the] love or [ the] hatred [ of] all [ the wise searching of all the experiences which are right there] before them”.
The last part of verse one, in the King James reads: “No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.” The words ‘by’, and ‘that is’ are not in the Hebrew and need to be omitted for clarity. Even a wise man such as Solomon cannot understand either the love or the hatred by all his searching of “all the work of God … that is done upon the earth” Therefore the only conclusion to be drawn is that that “the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God [ and] no man [ can] know either love or hatred by [ observing] all [ that was done by all the men] who have gone before them, who were also attempting to “find out… all the work of God… that is done under the sun”.
The last two verses of chapter 8 include the element of time into Solomon’s inquiry.

“To see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:):”

The word ‘before’ in verse one of chapter 9 is concerned with the position of what he is observing. It is the word ‘before’ which is concerned with the position of what is “before them”.
For example:

Gen 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

So that word ‘before’ means ‘before’ in both time and position, and is used in both ways, as this verse demonstrates:

Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

Since all of this is undeniable to King Solomon, for our instruction he rightly concludes:

Ecc 9:2 All 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.

Ecc 9:2 is a profound but very controversial verse of scripture. I could not find a commentary which understood “All things come alike to all”, to mean that in an ultimate spiritual sense. They generally agree that this is true in this physical realm, but that misses the very point of this verse.
Here is what this verse is saying. This is the very point being made:

1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

“We” indicates those who are “in Adam”, and according to this verse in this very same chapter of scripture, “we” are “all” who are “in Adam”.

1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The equation we are given here is that “as in Adam, all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” In other words, the “all” of the first part of this equation is the same as the “all” of the last part of this equation, and the point being made is that the latter will be every bit as affected by Christ as the former were by Adam. What we are being told is that as we are in Adam “even so in Christ shall all be made alive”.
To make this point even more forcefully, in the book of Romans we are told that the work of grace through Christ is “much more” powerful than the work of Adam:

Rom 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

‘Grace chastens us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts much more than sin is capable of abounding in us’. Our stubbornness and rebellion against God is not even a challenge for the chastening grace of God:

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching [ Greek – paideuo, chastens] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,

Grace inexorably “brings salvation… Where sin abounds grace… much more abounds” and God’s spankings and scourging accomplish their purpose within us.
When we look for the sum of God’s word concerning salvation this is what we see:

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

And who is “every son that He receives”? Who do the scriptures reveal to be “every son”? Here is the answer to that question:

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

That is the fruit of God’s “chastening… scourging… fiery… judgments” upon every man’s works, and when His judgments are in the earth, then men will learn righteousness. That is the purpose for the judgments of God, both “upon the house of God” now and at the “great white throne… judgment”.

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

They that obey not the gospel will have their works tried by the very same fire that is right now trying and judging the house of God. In the end ‘all things will have come alike to all”. “One event” will have been to all, because of the truth of these verses:

1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have [ all] borne the image of the earthy, we shall [ all] also bear the image of the heavenly.

King Solomon is the type of who we are while deceived by our wives’ gods, consequently we, at that stage of our experience, are completely unaware of the purpose and function of God’s chastening, fiery grace. All he can see is that all men return to the dust, and he actually reproves God for this “evil”.

Ecc 9:3 This 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.

Because “there is one event unto all… the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live” hearkens back to this verse in the previous chapter:

Ecc 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

But God has placed hope in the heart of even ‘King Solomon’ within us:

Ecc 9:4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

In spiritual words, a living Gentile (dog), is better than the dying son of the devil, the lion that roams the earth seeking whom he may devour.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead [ children of the devil] bury their dead.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

So “a living dog is better than a dead lion”.

Ecc 9:5 For 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.

Even those who are in Christ must, at some point, relinquish these physical bodies of corruption, which are referred to as “flesh and blood”.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Even the New Testament teaches that when we die in Christ, we are “asleep in Christ”, and thereby agrees with King Solomon’s statement that “the dead know not anything”. Paul goes on to inform us that without a resurrection from that unconscious state “the dead in Christ are perished”.

1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

Those who are asleep in Christ are raised before the thousand years begin and they are granted to rule with Christ during that symbolic thousand years. Until that time God’s elect are “asleep in Christ” awaiting the resurrection:

1Th 4:15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel,
and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 1Th 4:17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Those who are “alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep”. Rather “the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left will be caught up together with them…” So the memory of them [ may indeed be] forgotten by those who are “under the sun”, but our Lord does not forget even one of His own. He knows even every sparrow that falls to the earth, and even the hairs of our heads are numbered by Him.

Luk 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

But our old man has no such hope, and King Solomon, as the type of our old man, continues in his misery, lamenting the futility of such a hopeless life:

Ecc 9:6 Also 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.

“Under the sun”, like all of God’s word, has both a natural and a spiritual application. We will all “bear the [ natural] earthy”, application of all scripture before we are given to bear the spiritual.

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

“Their love, their hatred, and their envy” refers to the love, hatred, and envy of our corruptible, natural, old man. It is true that the flesh of our old man is doomed to destruction because “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, as the very next verse declares:

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;

This is a statement of truth concerning mankind under the physical, natural ‘sun’, but nothing is said here about mankind’s ultimate destiny under “the Sun of righteousness, of whom the physical sun is but a type:

Psa 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psa 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Psa 19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Psa 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall;

As already noted, under “the Sun of Righteousness… in Christ shall all… in Adam… be made alive. But this ‘life’ comes only through the death and destruction of “the first man Adam”.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

It is the ‘love, envy, and hatred of our old, first man Adam, which is “perished [ and which will have no] more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Knowing nothing of the ultimate salvation of all, King Solomon continues:

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

It was back in chapter three that we were assured that there is a time to every purpose under heaven.

Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

This seventh verse of this chapter is a repetition of what was said in the thirteenth verse of chapter three.

Ecc 3:12 I know that there is no good in them [ man’s days “under the sun”], but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
Ecc 3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
Ecc 3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

Like all of us, King Solomon speaks truths which are beyond his own understanding. It is through this phenomenon that we will all be judged out of our own mouths.

Job 15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Luk 19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

In chapter three King Solomon is telling us the same thing which he tells us in this seventh verse of chapter nine. He is telling us that we should eat and drink the good of our labors, and he tells us this “is the gift of God”. We have this same message in a spiritual sense in the New Testament when we are told that we will all be rewarded according to our works, our labors:

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

King Solomon, being the type of our old man, speaks of physical works and tells us “God has accepted your works”. The New Testament, on the other hand informs us that our works are not our own works, even if they are evil works:

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Paul had just twice informed us that our sins are not really our own sins:

Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Then he tells us that our “good works… were [ also] foreordained that we should walk in them”, and are not our own works at all.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

So if we put all these verses together, we must conclude that our good works and our wicked works are “no more I that do it, but… God [ who is] working all things after the counsel of His own will”, as we were told in Ephesians chapter one:

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

“The counsel of [ God’s] will was never revealed to King Solomon nor to any of the Old Testament patriarchs, kings, or prophets, as we are informed by both Christ and the apostle Peter:

Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Being totally unaware of “the counsel of [ God’s] will, our old man thinks only as would any natural man:

Ecc 9:8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

In its negative application, this verse is simply a continuation of the “let us eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die”, message of the preceding chapters and verses. However, in the positive, spiritual application of these words, they are very sound and wise words. We must “let our [ spiritual] garments be always white, and let our head lack no ointment”:

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

The saint who are to be “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white” are pictured as a chaste virgin who is espoused to one husband, Christ.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

As Christ and Peter have told us, King Solomon and all of the “kings and righteous men and prophets” of the Old Testament “ministered not to themselves, but to us, and had no spiritual concept of being the bride of Christ. Nevertheless even as he continues to express his hopelessness and despair with this life, his words have a spiritual application for how Christ dwells with us as His wife, even as we are in these “earthen vessels”:

Ecc 9:9 Live 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.

It is true that we are to “live joyfully, [ and] rejoice” with our spiritual husband as we, His faithful wife, suffer with Him, are persecuted and despised of this world with Him:

Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The New Testament message for us is to rejoice and be joyful for all the opportunities we have been given to suffer with our husband as He within us, remains faithful to His Father and to His Father’s commandments.

Act 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Next week, if the Lord wills we will learn that the proven, saving wisdom of “a poor wise man”” is “despised, and His words are not heard.”

Ecc 9:10 Whatsoever 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.
Ecc 9:11 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.
Ecc 9:12 For 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.
Ecc 9:13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
Ecc 9:14 There 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:
Ecc 9:15 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.
Ecc 9:16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
Ecc 9:17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
Ecc 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.