1
Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a matter? The wisdom of an Adam makes his face shine, and the strength of his face is changed.
2
I say: Guard the command of the king, and this because of the Oath of Elohim.
3
Do not hasten to leave his presence. Do not stand in an evil matter, for he does whatever he desires.
4
For the word of a king has authority, and who shall say to him, “What are you doing?”
5
The one who guards the commandment shall know no evil matter, and the heart of the wise knows time and Judgment.
6
For every purpose has its time and Judgment, because the evil of Adam is great upon him.
7
For he does not know what shall be. And who can tell him how it shall be?
8
No Adam has authority over the ruach to restrain the ruach. Nor does he have authority over the day of death. There is no discharge in that war, and wickedness shall not deliver those who practice it.
9
All this I saw, and I gave my heart to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time when Adam rules over Adam to his own harm.
10
And so I saw the wicked buried, and they came and went from the holy place, and they were forgotten in the city where they had done so. This also is vapor.
11
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed quickly, therefore the heart of the sons of Adam is fully set within them to do evil.
12
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his days, yet I know that it shall be good for those who fear Elohim, who fear before Him.
13
But it shall not be good for the wicked, nor shall he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before Elohim.
14
There is a vapor that is done upon the earth: there are righteous ones to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked, and there are wicked ones to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vapor.
15
Therefore I praised joy, because there is nothing better for Adam under the sun than to eat and drink and rejoice. And this shall accompany him in his labor during the days of his life which Elohim gives him under the sun.
16
When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the occupation that is done upon the earth— for even by day and by night his eyes do not see sleep—
17
then I saw all the work of Elohim, that Adam is not able to find out the work that is done under the sun. Though Adam labors to seek it, he shall not find it. And even if the wise says that he knows, he is not able to find it out.