Ecclesiastes 8
English Standard Version
Keep the King's Command
8 Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
(A)A man's wisdom makes his face shine,
and (B)the hardness of his face is changed.
2 I say:[a] Keep the king's command, because of (C)God's oath to him.[b] 3 Be not hasty to (D)go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and (E)who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.[c] 6 For there is a time and a way (F)for everything, although man's trouble[d] lies heavy on him. 7 For he (G)does not know what is to be, for (H)who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to (I)retain the spirit, (J)or power over the day of death. There is no (K)discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 (L)All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
Those Who Fear God Will Do Well
10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of (M)the holy place and were (N)praised[e] in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.[f] 11 Because (O)the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, (P)the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and (Q)prolongs his life, yet I know that (R)it will be well with (S)those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will (T)not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like (U)a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
Man Cannot Know God's Ways
14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people (V)to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people (W)to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend joy, for man (X)has nothing better under the sun but to (Y)eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see (Z)the business that is done on earth, how neither (AA)day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that (AB)man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, (AC)he cannot find it out.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 8:2 Hebrew lacks say
- Ecclesiastes 8:2 Or because of your oath to God
- Ecclesiastes 8:5 Or and judgment
- Ecclesiastes 8:6 Or evil
- Ecclesiastes 8:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts forgotten
- Ecclesiastes 8:10 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also twice in verse 14 (see note on 1:2)
Ecclesiastes 8
New American Standard Bible
Obey Rulers
8 Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person’s wisdom (A)illuminates his face and makes his (B)stern face [a]brighten up.
2 I say, “Keep the [b]command of the king because of the (C)oath [c]before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry [d](D)to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” 4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, (E)who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 One who (F)keeps a royal command (G)experiences no [e]trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For (H)there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him. 7 If no one (I)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8 (J)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 (K)evil will not save [f]those who practice it. 9 All this I have seen, and have applied my [g]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised (L)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 (M)soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility. 11 Because the (N)sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore (O)the hearts of the sons of mankind among them are [h]fully given to do evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may (P)lengthen his life, still I know that it will go (Q)well for those who fear God, who fear [i]Him openly. 13 But it will (R)not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a (S)shadow, because he does not fear God.
14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are (T)righteous people to whom it [j]happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are (U)evil people to whom it [k]happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for (V)a person under the sun except to eat, drink, and be joyful, and this will stand by him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
16 When I (W)devoted my [l]mind to know wisdom and to see the business which has been done on the earth (even though one should [m](X)never sleep day or night), 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that (Y)one cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though a person laboriously seeks, he will not discover; and (Z)even if the wise person claims to know, he cannot discover.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 8:1 Or change
- Ecclesiastes 8:2 Lit mouth
- Ecclesiastes 8:2 Lit of
- Ecclesiastes 8:3 Lit to go out from his presence
- Ecclesiastes 8:5 Lit evil thing
- Ecclesiastes 8:8 Lit its possessors
- Ecclesiastes 8:9 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 8:11 Lit full to do
- Ecclesiastes 8:12 Lit before Him
- Ecclesiastes 8:14 Lit strikes
- Ecclesiastes 8:14 Lit strikes
- Ecclesiastes 8:16 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 8:16 Lit see no sleep in his eyes
Ecclesiastes 8
King James Version
8 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.
11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
14 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.
15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
16 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:)
17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
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