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 a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, And the sternness of his face is changed. Obey Authorities for God’s Sake

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

I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God.

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

Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”

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

Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may 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:

He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,

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

Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly.

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 will happen; So who can tell him when it will occur?

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.

No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are 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 I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt. Death Comes to All

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.

Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.

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, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them 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 I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.

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; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before 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.

There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

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.

So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all 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 heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night,

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 a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.