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 hardness of his face is changed.

Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his countenance is changed.

2 I counsel thee, Keep the king's command, and that in regard of the oath of God.

I counsel you to keep the king’s command, and that in regard to the oath of God.

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

Be not panic-stricken and hasty to get out of his presence. Persist not in an evil thing, for he does whatever he pleases.

4 F or the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

For the word of a king is authority and power, and who can say to him, What are you doing?

5 W hoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment:

Whoever observes the command will experience no harm, and a wise man’s mind will know both when and what to do.

6 f or to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him:

For every purpose and matter has its time and judgment, although the misery and wickedness of man lies heavily upon him.

7 f or he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how and when it will be?

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

There is no man who has power over the spirit to retain the breath of life, neither has he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in battle, neither will wickedness deliver those who are its possessors and given to it.

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 hath power over another to his hurt.

All this have I seen while applying my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his own hurt or to the other man’s.

10 S o I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

And so I saw the wicked buried—those who had come and gone out of the holy place, and they are forgotten in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility)!

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 the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, the hearts of the sons of men are fully set to do evil.

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

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere and worship Him, realizing His continual presence.

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 be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear and worship God.

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

Here also is a futility that goes on upon the earth: there are righteous men who fare as though they were wicked, and wicked men who fare as though they were righteous. I say that this also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!

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 joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

Then I commended enjoyment, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be joyful, for that will remain with him in his toil through the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

16 W hen I applied my 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),

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the business activity and the painful effort that take place upon the earth—how neither day nor night some men’s eyes sleep—

17 t hen I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun—because however much a man may toil in seeking, yet he will not find it out; yes, more than that, though a wise man thinks and claims he knows, yet will he not be able to find it out.