Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 8

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 shines in his countenance, and even the expression of a most powerful man will change.
2 Observe the precept of the king, and in view of your oath to God,	2 I heed the mouth of the king, and the commandment of an oath to 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 You should not hastily withdraw from his presence, nor should you remain in an evil work. For all that pleases him, he will do.
4 because his word is sovereign, and who can say to him, "What are you doing?"	4 And his word is filled with authority. Neither is anyone able to say to him: “Why are you acting this way?”
5 "He who keeps the commandment experiences no evil, and the wise man's heart knows times and judgments;	5 Whoever keeps the commandment will not experience evil. The heart of a wise man understands the time to respond.
6 for there is a time and a judgment for everything."--Yet it is a great affliction for man	6 For every matter, there is a time and an opportunity, as well as many difficulties, for man.
7 that he is ignorant of what is to come; for who will make known to him how it will be?	7 For he is ignorant of the past, and he is able to know nothing of the future by means of a 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 the power of a man to prohibit the spirit, nor does he have authority over the day of death, nor is he permitted to rest when war breaks out, and neither will impiety save the impious.
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 I have considered all these things, and I have applied my heart to all the works which are being done under the sun. Sometimes one man rules over another to his own harm.
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 have seen the impious buried. These same, while they were still living, were in the holy place, and they were praised in the city as workers of justice. But this, too, is emptiness.
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 the sons of men perpetrate evils without any fear, because judgment is not pronounced quickly against the evil.
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 although a sinner may do evil of himself one hundred times, and by patience still endure, I realize that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere 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 So, may it not go well with the impious, and may his days not be prolonged. And let those who do not fear the face of the Lord pass away like a shadow.
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 the just, to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the impious. And there are the impious, who are very secure, as though they possess the deeds of the just. But this, too, I judge to be a very great vanity.
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 And so, I praised rejoicing, because there was no good for a man under the sun, except to eat and drink, and to be cheerful, and because he may take nothing with him from his labor in the days of his life, which God has given to 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, so that I might know wisdom, and so that I might understand a disturbance that turns upon the earth: it is a man, who takes no sleep with his eyes, day and night.
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 is able to find no explanation for all those works of God which are done under the sun. And so, the more that he labors to seek, so much the less does he find. Yes, even if a wise man were to claim that he knows, he would not be able to discover it.