I also said to myself, "As for human beings, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals."
NIV
I said in my heart regarding the subject of the sons of men, God is trying (separating and sifting) them, that they may see that by themselves [under the sun, without God] they are but like beasts.
AMP
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
KJV
The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
NIV
Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all; the king himself is served by the field and in all, a king is an advantage to a land with cultivated fields.
AMP
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
KJV
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
NIV
Curse not the king, no, not even in your thoughts, and curse not the rich in your bedchamber, for a bird of the air will carry the voice, and a winged creature will tell the matter. [Exod. 22:28.]AMP
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
KJV
Or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
NIV
But those riches are lost in a bad venture; and he becomes the father of a son, and there is nothing in his hand [with which to support the child].
AMP
But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
KJV
Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time – for strength and not for drunkenness.
NIV
Happy (fortunate and to be envied) are you, O land, when your king is a free man and of noble birth and character and when your officials feast at the proper time--for strength and not for drunkenness! [Isa. 32:8.]AMP
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
KJV
The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one shepherd.
NIV
The words of the wise are like prodding goads, and firmly fixed [in the mind] like nails are the collected sayings which are given [as proceeding] from one Shepherd. [Ezek. 37:24.]AMP
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
KJV
When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth – people getting no sleep day or night –
NIV
When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the business activity and the painful effort that take place upon the earth--how neither day nor night some men's eyes sleep--
AMP
When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
KJV
There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.
NIV
Here also is a futility that goes on upon the earth: there are righteous men who fare as though they were wicked, and wicked men who fare as though they were righteous. I say that this also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!
AMP
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
KJV
