⁷ If no one ^(A)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? ^8 (B)No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and ^(C)evil will not save ^[a]those who practice it. ⁹ All this I have seen, and have applied my ^[b]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised ^(D)authority over another person to his detriment.

¹⁰ So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they are ^(E)soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility. ¹¹ Because the ^(F)sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore ^(G)the hearts of the sons of mankind among them are ^[c]fully given to do evil. ¹² Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may ^(H)lengthen his life, still I know that it will go ^(I)well for those who fear God, who fear ^[d]Him openly. ¹³ But it will ^(J)not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a ^(K)shadow, because he does not fear God.