Neville Goddard on Ecclesiastes 9:7-18 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Ecclesiastes 9 in context

Scripture Focus

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.

Ecclesiastes 9:7-18

Biblical Context

The passage urges joyful daily living, diligent work, and loving what is given. It also notes that time and chance shape events more than sheer strength or wisdom.

Neville's Inner Vision

These lines are not a history lesson but a map of inner life. Go thy way... eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart: this is not indulgence but affirming that your present state is whole. God now accepteth thy works means your consciousness recognizes the value of what you do, here and now. Let thy garments be white and thy head anointed: imagine a mind untouched by fear, crowned with awareness. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest: love what is yours in this moment; that love is your portion in this sunlit day. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: act from the state that you already possess abundance, not from lack. Time and chance, they are presented as neutral forces; but events arise from your inner state, and you may align your inner timing with your desires. The race is not to the swift; the wise man saved the city yet was forgotten: true power is the quiet conviction that shapes outcomes. The words of wise men are heard in quiet: cultivate inner stillness; wisdom rises where ego is still. Wisdom is better than weapons; but one sinner can destroy much good: guard your inner discipline.

Practice This Now

Imaginative act: Sit quietly, close your eyes, and assume the finished state—joy in every moment, healthy energy for all you do, and inner timing perfectly aligned with your loving intention. Stay with the feeling until it is real.