1Who is as the wise man? And who knows the explanation of things? A man's wisdom brightens his face, and softens the hardness of his face. 2Obey the king's commandment, because you took an oath before God. 3Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. And do not stand for an evil cause; for the king does whatever pleases him. 4The word of a king is backed by power; no one can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5Whoever obeys his command shall come to no harm; and a wise man’s heart discerns both the proper time and what is right, 6Because for every purpose there is time and way, even when a man is in trouble. 7Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? 8Just as no man has power over the wind, neither does he have power over the day of his death. Just as no one is relieved of duty in time of war, wickedness shall not release those that are taken by it.

9All this I saw, as I scrutinized everything that is done under the sun: there is a time when one man oppresses another to his own hurt. 10And I have seen the wicked, that would come and go from the holy place, buried with honor – and praised in the city where they committed their crimes. This is also vain futility. 11When crime is not punished promptly, other men are tempted to engage in it. 12Though a sinner commits a hundred crimes, and lives a long time; still, I know that those who fear God will be better off. 13Because the wicked do not honor God, it will not go well with him, nor shall his days last, which are a mere shadow. 14There is yet another vain thing which is done on the earth: that there are just men who get what the wicked deserve, and, again, where wicked men get what the righteous deserve. I said that this also is vanity. 15So I commended enjoying life, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; that way they shall experience some satisfaction from their labors all the days of their life, which God gives them under the sun.

16When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to observe what is done on the earth (often denying myself sleep day and night), 17Then I saw all that God has done under the sun that a man cannot fathom, because, even though a wise man endeavors to discover it, he shall not really comprehend it.