Study Desk

Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person's wisdom illuminates his face and makes his stern face brighten up.

Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

I say, "Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.

I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

"Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases."

Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, "What are you doing?"

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

One who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person's trouble is heavy upon him.

Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?

For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and evil will not save those who practice it.

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

All this I have seen, and have applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised authority over another person to his detriment.

All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility.

And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of mankind among them are fully given to do evil.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will go well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

But it will not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a person under the sun except to eat, drink, and be joyful, and this will stand by him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

When I devoted my mind to know wisdom and to see the business which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night),

When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

and I saw every work of God, I concluded that one cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though a person laboriously seeks, he will not discover; and even if the wise person claims to know, he cannot discover.

Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.