A LIVING dog (lowest of the animals) is BETTER THAN a
DEAD lion (king of the animals), because FELLOWSHIP is PREFERABLE TO SEPARATION (9:4-6 cf. Psalms 88:10; Psalms 115:17)
In this EARTHLY LIFE man's CHIEF GOOD is to SHARE JOY
with the wife he loves and to be DILIGENT in LABOR - for in SHEOL (the DEATH WORLD), there is NOTHING (9:9-10 cf. Psalms 6:5):
Success in this EARTHLY LIFE is not guaranteed to the
fastest, the strongest, the wisest or the most skilled - for all are subject to the VICISSITUDES of LIFE, which
are controlled by God (9:11
cf. 9:1; Job 2:10)
DEATH is always the UNEXPECTED and UNWELCOME SPOILER (9:12 cf. Luke 12:15-21)
Although WISDOM is BETTER THAN STRENGTH - the WORDS OF
THE WISE are NOT HEEDED by the majority, but are pondered more by a minority than the cry of a fool by the majority
(9:16-17):
A NOBLE MINORITY OF ONE who STOOD ALONE in their time
- NOAH, JOB, DANIEL(Ezekiel 14:14-20)
Although WISDOM is BETTER THAN PHYSICAL WEAPONRY - it
ONLY TAKES a LITTLE EVIL TO UNDO MUCH GOOD (9:18):