| English Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed. | 1Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam. |
| 2I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. | 2I say, "Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God. |
| 3Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. | 3"Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases." |
| 4For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” | 4Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, "What are you doing?" |
| 5Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. | 5He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. |
| 6For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. | 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him. |
| 7For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? | 7If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? |
| 8No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. | 8No 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 evil will not deliver those who practice it. |
| 9All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt. | 9All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt. |
| 10Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. | 10So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility. |
| 11Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. | 11Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. |
| 12Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. | 12Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. |
| 13But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. | 13But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. |
| 14There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. | 14There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. |
| 15And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. | 15So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. |
| 16When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, | 16When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), |
| 17then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out. | 17and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, "I know," he cannot discover. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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