1 Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

2 I say, "Keep the king’s command!" because of the oath to God. 3 Don’t be hasty to go out of his presence. Don’t persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him, 4 for the king’s word is supreme. Who can say to him, "What are you doing?" 5 Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure. 6 For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him. 7 For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be? 8 There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.

9 All this I have seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt. 10 So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is vanity. 11 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. 12 Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God.

14 There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (even though eyes see no sleep day or night), 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

1 谁像智慧人， 谁知道事情的解释呢？人的智慧使他容光焕发， 使他脸上的戾气转消。

2 我劝你， 因为你指着 神起了誓， 你就要遵守王的命令。

3 不要轻率离开王的面前， 也不要参与恶事， 因为王可以随己意作任何事。

4 既然王的话有权柄， 谁敢问他： "你在作什么？"

5 遵守命令的， 必不遭受灾祸； 智慧人的心， 晓得时机， 懂得判断。

6 各样事务成就， 都有合宜的时机和定局， 尽管人的灾祸重压在自己身上。

7 他不晓得未来的事， 将来要发生什么， 谁能告诉他呢？

8 没有人能支配风（"风"或译： "生命"）， 把它留住； 没有人能控制死期； 战争之时， 没有人能免役； 邪恶救不了行邪恶的人。

9 我看见了这一切， 又专心查究在日光之下所发生的一切事。有这样的一个时候： 有人管辖别人， 叫他受害。

10 然后我看见恶人得以埋葬， 他们生前在圣地往来， 而在他们这样行的城中， 竟被人遗忘。这也是虚空！ （全节或译： "然后我看见恶人得以埋葬， 他们生前在圣地往来， 并且在他们这样行的城中， 受人称赞。这也是虚空！ "或"然后我看见恶人得以埋葬， 归入坟墓； 行正直的人却与圣地隔离， 在城中被人遗忘。这也是虚空！ "）

11 对恶行已判定的刑罚迟迟没有执行， 世人的心就充满行恶的意图。

12 罪人既然作恶百次， 还享长寿， 那么我知道敬畏 神的人， 就是在他面前存敬畏的心的， 必享福乐。

13 恶人却没有福乐， 也得不到长寿； 他好像影子的短暂， 因为他在 神面前不存敬畏的心。

14 在世上有一件虚空的事， 就是义人照恶人所行的受报应， 恶人照义人所行的得报偿。我说， 这也是虚空。

15 于是我称颂快乐， 因为人在日光之下最好是吃喝快乐。这是人在日光之下， 神赐给他一生的年日里， 从自己劳碌中所得的享受。

16 我专心认识智慧， 察看世上的劳碌──有人昼夜不眠──

17 于是我看见了 神的一切作为， 知道在日光之下所发生的事， 人不能查明； 尽管人劳碌寻查， 总是查不出来； 即使智慧人以为知道了， 还是查不出来。