1 W ho is as the wise? and who knoweth the explanation of things? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness 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 , Keep the king's commandment, and on account 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 sight; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatever 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 b ecause the word of a king is 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 knoweth time and manner.

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 time and manner. For 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 who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are 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 when man ruleth man 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 A nd I have also seen the wicked buried and going away; and such as had acted rightly went from 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 children 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, yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, because they 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 days 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 unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; and there are wicked 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 A nd I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man 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 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 saw that all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however man may labour to seek out, yet doth he not find; and even, if a wise think to know, he shall not be able to find out.

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.