Wisdom Is Valuable
1 Who is like the wise man? and to whom is the sense of anything clear? A man's wisdom makes his face shining, and his hard face will be changed.
1 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 boldness of his face shall be changed.
1 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom (A)illumines (a)him and causes his (B)stern face to (b)beam.
1 Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.(A)
1 Who is really wise? Who knows how to interpret this saying: "A person's wisdom improves his appearance, softening a harsh countenance."
Obedience To The King
3 Be not quick to go from before him. Be not fixed in an evil design, because he does whatever is pleasing to him.
3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
3 Do not be in a hurry (e)(D)to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.”
3 Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence,(C) and don’t persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants.
3 Don't be in a hurry to leave him, and don't persist in evil, for he does whatever he pleases.
5 Whoever keeps the law will come to no evil: and a wise man's heart has knowledge of time and of decision.
5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
5 He who (F)keeps a royal command (G)experiences no (f)trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.
5 The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful,(E) and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.
5 Whoever obeys his commands will not experience harm, and the wise in heart will discern both the appropriate time and response.
6 For every purpose there is a time and a decision, because the sorrow of man is great in him.
6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
6 For (H)there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him.
6 For every activity there is a right time and procedure,(F) even though man’s troubles are heavy on him.
6 Indeed, there is an appropriate time and a response for every circumstance, since human misery weighs heavily upon him.
No One Knows The Future
8 No man has authority over the wind, to keep the wind; or is ruler over the day of his death. In war no man's time is free, and evil will not keep the sinner safe.
8 There 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.
8 (J)No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and (K)evil will not deliver (g)those who practice it.
8 No one has authority over the wind(b) to restrain it,(H) and there is no authority over the day of death;(I) there is no furlough in battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape.
8 Just as no human being has control over the wind to restrain it, so also no human being has control over the day of his death. Just as no one is discharged during war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
The World Marred By Oppression And Injustice
9 All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.
9 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 ruleth over another to his own hurt.
9 All this I have seen and applied my (h)mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised (L)authority over another man to his hurt.
9 All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm.
9 I observed all this, and carefully considered everything that is undertaken on earth, especially the time when someone dominates another to his detriment.
Those Who Fear God Will Do Well
10 And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.
10 And 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.
10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are (M)soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility.
10 In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place,(J) and they were praised(c) in the city where they did so. This too is futile.
10 So I watched the wicked being entombed. They used to come in and out of the Holy Place, but now they are forgotten in the city, where they used to work. This, too, is pointless.
Although Evil Is Not Punished Swiftly, God Does Eventually Punish Sinners
11 Because punishment for an evil work comes not quickly, the minds of the sons of men are fully given to doing evil.
11 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.
11 Because the (N)sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore (O)the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.
11 Because the sentence against a criminal act is not carried out quickly,(K) the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit crime.
11 Whenever a sentence for a crime is not carried out swiftly, the human mind becomes determined to commit evil.
12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his life is long, I am certain that it will be well for those who go in fear of God and are in fear before him.
12 Though 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:
12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may (P)lengthen his life, still I know that it will be (Q)well for those who fear God, who fear (i)Him openly.
12 Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life,(L) yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people,(M) for they are reverent before Him.
12 Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence.
13 But it will not be well for the evil-doer; he will not make his days long like a shade, because he has no fear before God.
13 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.
13 But it will (R)not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a (S)shadow, because he does not fear God.
13 However, it will not go well with the wicked,(N) and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow,(O) for they are not reverent before God.
13 But things will not go well for the wicked person: he will not lengthen his life like a shadow, since he has no fear before God.
Man Cannot Know God's Ways
14 There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.
14 There 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.
14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are (T)righteous men to whom it (j)happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are (U)evil men to whom it (k)happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility.
14 There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve,(P) and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve.(Q) I say that this too is futile.
14 Here is a pointless thing that happens on earth: A righteous man receives what happens to the wicked, and a wicked man receives what happens to the righteous. I concluded that this, too, is pointless.
Humans Should Enjoy The Life That God Gives To Them
15 So I gave praise to joy, because there is nothing better for a man to do under the sun than to take meat and drink and be happy; for that will be with him in his work all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.
15 Then 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.
15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for (V)a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his (l)toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
15 So I commended enjoyment because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself,(R) for this will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.
15 So then I recommended enjoyment of life, because it is better on earth for a man to eat, drink, and be happy, since this will stay with him throughout his struggle all the days of his life, which God grants him on earth.
No One Can Discover The Rhyme And Reason For Things
16 When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),
16 When 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:)
16 When I (W)gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should (m)(X)never sleep day or night),
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom(S) and to observe the activity that is done on the earth (even though one’s eyes do not close in sleep day or night),
16 When I dedicated myself to experience wisdom and to observe what is undertaken on earth even going without sleep day and night
17 Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.
17 Then 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.
17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that (Y)man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and (Z)though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover.
17 I observed all the work of God and concluded that man is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it;(T) even if the wise man claims to know it, he is unable to discover it.
17 I saw all of it as the activity of God. Frankly, a human being cannot understand what happens on earth, because however hard a man works to discover it, he will not find out. Despite what he thinks he knows, he will not be able to figure it out.