| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 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 a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person's wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance. |
| 2I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. | 2Obey the king's command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him. |
| 3Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. | 3Do not rush out of the king's presence in haste--do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases. |
| 4For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” | 4Surely the king's authority is absolute; no one can 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. | 5Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person 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 matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim. |
| 7For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? | 7Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what 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. | 8Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it, so no one has power over the day of his death. Just as no one can be discharged during the battle, so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked. |
| 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. | 9While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm. |
| 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. | 10Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma. |
| 11Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. | 11When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged 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. | 12Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people--for they stand in fear before him. |
| 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 go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before 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. | 14Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said, "This also is an enigma." |
| 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 recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth. |
| 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 tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth--even though it prevents anyone from sleeping 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. | 17then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it. |
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