Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 8

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Who is like the wise man, and who knows the explanation of things? A man's wisdom illumines his face, but an impudent look is resented.	1 The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance, and the most mighty will change his face.
2 Observe the precept of the king, and in view of your oath to God,	2 I observe the mouth of the king, and the commandments of the oath of God.
3 be not hasty to withdraw from the king; do not join in with a base plot, for he does whatever he pleases,	3 Be not hasty to depart from his face, and do not continue in an evil work: for he will do all that pleaseth him:
4 because his word is sovereign, and who can say to him, "What are you doing?"	4 And his word is full of power: neither can any man say to him: Why dost thou so?
5 "He who keeps the commandment experiences no evil, and the wise man's heart knows times and judgments;	5 He that keepeth the commandments shall find no evil. The heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.
6 for there is a time and a judgment for everything."--Yet it is a great affliction for man	6 There is a time and opportunity for every business, and great affliction for man:
7 that he is ignorant of what is to come; for who will make known to him how it will be?	7 Because he is ignorant of things past, and things to come he cannot know by any messenger.
8 There is no man who is master of the breath of life so as to retain it, and none has mastery of the day of death. There is no exemption from the struggle, nor are the wicked saved by their wickedness.	8 It is not in man's power to stop the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, neither is he suffered to rest when war is at hand, neither shall wickedness save the wicked.
9 All these things I considered and I applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun, while one man tyrannizes over another to his hurt.	9 All these things I have considered, and applied my heart to all the works that are done under the sun. Sometimes one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
10 Meanwhile I saw wicked men approach and enter; and as they left the sacred place, they were praised in the city for what they had done. This also is vanity.	10 I saw the wicked buried: who also when they were yet living were in the holy place, and were praised in the city as men of just works: but this also is vanity.
11 Because the sentence against evildoers is not promptly executed, therefore the hearts of men are filled with the desire to commit evil--	11 For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear.
12 because the sinner does evil a hundred times and survives. Though indeed I know that it shall be well with those who fear God, for their reverence toward him;	12 But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and by patience be borne withal, I know from thence that it shall be well with them that fear God, who dread his face.
13 and that it shall not be well with the wicked man, and he shall not prolong his shadowy days, for his lack of reverence toward God.	13 But let it not be well with the wicked, neither let his days be prolonged, but as a shadow let them pass away that fear not the face of the Lord.
14 This is a vanity which occurs on earth: there are just men treated as though they had done evil and wicked men treated as though they had done justly. This, too, I say is vanity.	14 There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are just men to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the wicked: and there are wicked men, who are as secure, as though they had the deeds of the just: but this also I judge most vain.
15 Therefore I commend mirth, because there is nothing good for man under the sun except eating and drinking and mirth: for this is the accompaniment of his toil during the limited days of the life which God gives him under the sun.	15 Therefore I commended mirth, because there was no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry, and that he should take nothing else with him of his labour in the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to observe what is done on earth,	16 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to understand the distraction that is upon earth: for there are some that day and night take no sleep with their eyes.
17 I recognized that man is unable to find out all God's work that is done under the sun, even though neither by day nor by night do his eyes find rest in sleep. However much man toils in searching, he does not find it out; and even if the wise man says that he knows, he is unable to find it out.	17 And I understood that man can find no reason of all those works of God that are done under the sun: and the more he shall labour to seek, so much the less shall he find: yea, though the wise man shall say, that he knoweth it, he shall not be able to find it.