Who is like the wise
man
and who
knows
the interpretation
of a matter
? A man's
wisdom
aillumines
1him and causes his bstern
face
to 2beam
.
I say, "Keep the 1command
of the king
because
of the aoath
2before God
.
"Do not be in a hurry 1 ato leave
him. Do not join
in an evil
matter
, for he will do
whatever
he pleases
."
Since the word
of the king
is authoritative
, awho
will say
to him, "What
are you doing
?"
He who akeeps a royal command
bexperiences
no
1trouble
, for a wise
heart
knows
the proper time
and procedure
.
For athere is a proper time
and procedure
for every
delight
, though
a man's
trouble
is heavy
upon him.
If no
one
aknows
what
will happen
, who
can tell
him when
it will happen
?
aNo 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 bevil
will not deliver
1those who
practice
it.
All this
I have seen
and applied
my 1mind
to every
deed
that has been done
under
the sun
wherein
a man
has exercised
aauthority
over another man
to his hurt
.
So then, I have seen
the wicked
buried
, those who used to go
in and out from the holy
place
, and they are asoon forgotten
in the city
where
they did
thus
. This
too
is futility
.
Because the asentence
against an evil
deed
is not executed
quickly
, therefore
bthe hearts
of the sons
of men
among them are given
fully
to do
evil
.
Although a sinner
does
evil
a hundred
times and may alengthen
his life, still
I know
that it will be bwell
for those who fear
God
, who
fear
1Him openly
.
But it will anot be well for the evil
man
and he will not lengthen
his days
like a bshadow
, because
he does not fear
God
.
There is futility
which
is done
on the earth
, that is, there
are arighteous
men
to whom
it 1happens
according to the deeds
of the wicked
. On the other hand, there
are bevil
men
to whom
it 1happens
according to the deeds
of the righteous
. I say
that this
too
is futility
.
So I commended pleasure
, for there
is nothing
good
for aa man
under
the sun
except
to eat
and to drink
and to be merry
, and this
will stand
by him in his 1toils
throughout the days
of his life
which
God
has given
him under
the sun
.
When I agave
my heart
to know
wisdom
and to see
the task
which
has been done
on the earth
(even
though
one
should 1 bnever
sleep
day
or night
),
and I saw every
work
of God
, I concluded that aman
cannot
discover
the work
which
has been done
under
the sun
. Even though
man
should seek
laboriously
, he will not discover
; and bthough
the wise
man
should say
, "I know
," he cannot
discover
.