| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person's wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance. | 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. |
| 2Obey the king's command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him. | 2I say, "Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God. |
| 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. | 3"Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases." |
| 4Surely the king's authority is absolute; no one can 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 obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure. | 5He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. |
| 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim. | 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him. |
| 7Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen. | 7If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 11When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged 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. |
| 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. | 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 go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in 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. |
| 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." | 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. |
| 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. | 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 tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth--even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night-- | 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 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. | 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. |
| NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. 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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