Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance, and the most mighty will change his face.
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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 I observe the mouth of the king, and the commandments of the oath of God.
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Keep the king's command because of your sacred oath.
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:
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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 And his word is full of power: neither can any man say to him: Why dost thou so?
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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 keepeth the commandment, shall find no evil. The heart of a wiser man understandeth time and answer.
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Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way.
6 There is a time and opportunity for every business, and great affliction for man:
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For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them.
7 Because he is ignorant of things past, and things to come he cannot know by any messenger.
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Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be?
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.
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 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.
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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 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.
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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 For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear.
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Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil.
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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
14
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 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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
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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 Douay-Rheims Bible 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.