1WHO is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face to shine, but he who is impudent shall be hated.

2Keep the king's command, and in regard of the oath of God be not hasty. 3Go from his presence; and do not stand firm in an evil matter; for he does whatsoever pleases him. 4In what manner the king speaks is lawful; and who can say to him, What are you doing?

5He who keeps a command shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment. 6Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, because the misery of man is great upon him. 7For there is no one who knows that which has been; and who can tell him what will be after him? 8There is no man who has power over the wind to withhold the wind; neither has he power over the day of death; and there is no escape from duty in the day of battle; neither shall wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9All this have I seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun; there is a time wherein one man rules over another to hurt him.

10And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the holy place, and they were forgotten in the city where they had done such evil things; this also is vanity. 11Because vengeance against the evil-doers is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12He who sins does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with the worshippers of the LORD, that they may fear before him; 13But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are like a shadow; because he does not fear before God.

14There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; there are just men, to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; and there are wicked men, to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous; I said that this also is vanity. 15Then I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be merry; for that shall accompany him in his labor all the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.

16Therefore I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business which is done upon the earth; for there are those whose eyes see no sleep either day or night. 17Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work which is done under the sun; all that a man may labor to seek out, yet he will not find it; and whosoever says that he is wise yet will not be able to find it.