1 W ho is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

Who is like the wise man? And who understands the meaning of anything? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine. The hard look on his face is changed. Obey the King

2 I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

I say, “Obey the words of the king because of the promise you made to God.

3 B e not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in wrong-doing, for he will do whatever he pleases.”

4 W here the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

Since the king’s word is powerful, who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 W hoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

He who obeys the king’s law will have no trouble, for a wise heart knows the right time and way.

6 B ecause to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

For there is a right time and way for everything, even if a man’s trouble is heavy upon him.

7 F or he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?

8 T here is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

No man has the right and power to hold back the wind with the wind, or power over the day of his death. No man is free to leave in the time of war. And sin will not take the sinner out of trouble.

9 A ll this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

All this I have seen while thinking about every work that has been done under the sun. There is a time when one man has power over another man and makes him suffer. Death Comes to Everyone

10 A nd so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

Then I saw the sinful buried, who used to go in and out of the holy place. They are soon forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is for nothing.

11 B ecause 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.

Because a sinful act is not punished in a hurry, so the hearts of the sons of men are given completely over to sin.

12 T hough a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

Even though a sinner does sinful things a hundred times and lives a long time, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, and let others know they fear God.

13 b ut it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

But it will not go well for the sinful man. His days will not be long like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

14 T here is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

There is something that is of no use on the earth: There are right and good men who have the same thing happen to them that happens to those who do sinful things. And there are sinful men who have the same thing happen to them that happens to those who are right and good. I say this also is for nothing.

15 T hen I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

So I say a man should enjoy himself. For there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and drink and be happy. For this will be with him in his work through the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16 W hen 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:)

I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the work which has been done on the earth, not sleeping day or night.

17 t hen 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.

And I saw all the work of God and knew that man cannot even think of all that is done under the sun. Even if man tries hard to find out, he will not be able to. Even if a wise man says he knows, he does not.