Septuagint Bible w/ Apocrypha LXX
New Revised Standard w/ Apocrypha NRSA
1 Who knows the wise? and who knows the interpretation of a saying? A man's wisdom will lighten his countenance; but a man of shameless countenance will be hated.
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Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? Wisdom makes one's face shine, and the hardness of one's countenance is changed.
2 Observe the commandment of the king, and because of the word of the oath of God.
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Keep the king's command because of your sacred oath.
3 Be not hasty; thou shalt go forth out of his presence: stand not in an evil matter; for he will do whatsoever he shall please,
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Do not be terrified; go from his presence, do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases.
4 even as a king having power: and who will say to him, What doest thou?
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For the word of the king is powerful, and who can say to him, "What are you doing?"
5 He that keeps the commandment shall not know an evil thing: and the heart of the wise knows the time of judgment.
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Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way.
6 For to every thing there is time and judgment; for the knowledge of a man is great to him.
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For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them.
7 For there is no one that knows what is going to be: for who shall tell him how it shall be?
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Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be?
8 There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; and there is no power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in the day of the battle; neither shall ungodliness save her votary.
8
No one has power over the wind to restrain the wind, or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle, nor does wickedness deliver those who practice it.
9 So I saw all this, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun; all the things wherein man has power over man to afflict him.
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All this I observed, applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while one person exercises authority over another to the other's hurt.
10 And then I saw the ungodly carried into the tombs, and out of the holy place: and they departed, and were praised in the city, because they had done thus: this also is vanity.
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Then I saw the wicked buried; they used to go in and out of the holy place, and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.
11 Because there is no contradiction made on the part of those who do evil quickly, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully determined in them to do evil.
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Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil.
12 He that has sinned has done evil from that time, and long from beforehand: nevertheless I know, that it is well with them that fear God, that they may fear before him:
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Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him,
13 but it shall not be well with the ungodly, and he shall not prolong his days, as a shadow; forasmuch as he fears not before God.
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but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.
14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous persons to whom it happens according to the doing of the ungodly; and there are ungodly men, to whom it happens according to the doing of the just: I said, This is also vanity.
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There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
15 Then I praised mirth, because there is no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry: and this shall attend him in his labour all the days of his life, which God has given him under the sun.
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So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.
16 Whereupon I set my heart to know wisdom, and to perceive the trouble that was wrought upon the earth: for there is that neither by day nor night sees sleep with his eyes.
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When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how one's eyes see sleep neither day nor night,
17 And I beheld all the works of God, that a man shall not be able to discover the work which is wrought under the sun; whatsoever things a man shall endeavour to seek, however a man may labour to seek it, yet he shall not find it; yea, how much soever a wise man may speak of knowing it, he shall not be able to find it: for I applied all this to my heart, and my heart has seen all this.
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then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out.
The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.