1 W ho 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

Who 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 I f no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?

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

8 N o 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.

There 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.

9 A ll 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

All 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.

10 T hen 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.

So 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.

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

Because 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 E ven 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.

Though 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:

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

but 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.

14 T here 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.

There 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.

15 S o 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.

Then 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.

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

When 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),

17 A nd 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.

then 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.