Ecclesiastes 8 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[1] Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed. ^[2] I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God. ^[3] Don’t be hasty to go out of his presence. Don’t persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him, ^[4] for the king’s word is supreme. Who can say to him, “What are you doing?” ^[5] Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure. ^[6] For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him. ^[7] For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be? ^[8] There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it. ^[9] All this I have seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt. ^[10] So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is 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 commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. ^[13] But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God. ^[14] There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. ^[15] Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. ^[16] When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (even though eyes see no sleep day or night), ^[17] then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

King James Version

^[1] Who [is] as the wiseH2450 [man]? and who knowethH3045(QalActPtc) the interpretationH6592 of a thing?H1697 a man’sH120 wisdomH2451 maketh his faceH6440 to shine,H215(HiphImpf) and the boldnessH5797 of his faceH6440 shall be changed.H8132(PualImpf) ^[2] I [counsel thee] to keepH8104(QalImpv) the king’sH4428 commandment,H6310 and [that] in regardH1700 of the oathH7621 of God.H430 ^[3] Be not hastyH926(NiphImpf) to go outH3212(QalImpf) of his sight:H6440 standH5975(QalImpf) not in an evilH7451 thing;H1697 for he doethH6213(QalImpf) whatsoever pleasethH2654(QalImpf) him. ^[4] Where the wordH1697 of a kingH4428 [is, there is] power:H7983 and who may sayH559(QalImpf) unto him, What doestH6213(QalImpf) thou? ^[5] Whoso keepethH8104(QalActPtc) the commandmentH4687 shall feelH3045(QalImpf) no evilH7451 thing:H1697 and a wise man’sH2450 heartH3820 discernethH3045(QalImpf) both timeH6256 and judgment.H4941 ^[6] Because to every purposeH2656 there isH3426 timeH6256 and judgment,H4941 therefore the miseryH7451 of manH120 [is] greatH7227 upon him. ^[7] For he knowethH3045(QalActPtc) not that which shall be: for who can tellH5046(HiphImpf) him when it shall be? ^[8] [There is] no manH120 that hath powerH7989 over the spiritH7307 to retainH3607(QalInf) the spirit;H7307 neither [hath he] powerH7983 in the dayH3117 of death:H4194 and [there is] no dischargeH4917 in [that] war;H4421 neither shall wickednessH7562 deliverH4422(PielImpf) those that are givenH1167 to it. ^[9] All this have I seen,H7200(QalPerf) and appliedH5414(QalInf) my heartH3820 unto every workH4639 that is doneH6213(NiphPerf) under the sun:H8121 [there is] a timeH6256 wherein one manH120 rulethH7980(QalPerf) over another to his own hurt.H7451 ^[10] And soH3651 I sawH7200(QalPerf) the wickedH7563 buried,H6912(QalPasPtc) who had comeH935(QalPerf) and goneH1980(PielImpf) from the placeH4725 of the holy,H6918 and they were forgottenH7911(HithImpf) in the cityH5892 where they had so done:H6213(QalPerf) this [is] also vanity.H1892 ^[11] Because sentenceH6599 against an evilH7451 workH4639 is not executedH6213(NiphPerf) speedily,H4120 therefore the heartH3820 of the sonsH1121 of menH120 is fully setH4390(QalPerf) in them to doH6213(QalInf) evil.H7451 ^[12] Though a sinnerH2398(QalActPtc) doH6213(QalActPtc) evilH7451 an hundred times,H3967 and his [days] be prolonged,H748(HiphPtc) yet surely I knowH3045(QalActPtc) that it shall be wellH2896 with them that fearH3373 God,H430 which fearH3372(QalImpf) beforeH6440 him: ^[13] But it shall not be wellH2896 with the wicked,H7563 neither shall he prolongH748(HiphImpf) [his] days,H3117 [which are] as a shadow;H6738 because he fearethH3373 not beforeH6440 God.H430 ^[14] There isH3426 a vanityH1892 which is doneH6213(NiphPerf) upon the earth;H776 that there be justH6662 [men], unto whom it happenethH5060(HiphPtc) according to the workH4639 of the wicked;H7563 again, there beH3426 wickedH7563 [men], to whom it happenethH5060(HiphPtc) according to the workH4639 of the righteous:H6662 I saidH559(QalPerf) that this alsoH1571 [is] vanity.H1892 ^[15] Then I commendedH7623(PielPerf) mirth,H8057 because a manH120 hath no better thingH2896 under the sun,H8121 than to eat,H398(QalInf) and to drink,H8354(QalInf) and to be merry:H8055(QalInf) for that shall abideH3867(QalImpf) with him of his labourH5999 the daysH3117 of his life,H2416 which GodH430 givethH5414(QalPerf) him under the sun.H8121 ^[16] When I appliedH5414(QalPerf) mine heartH3820 to knowH3045(QalInf) wisdom,H2451 and to seeH7200(QalInf) the businessH6045 that is doneH6213(NiphPerf) upon the earth:H776 (for also [there is that] neither dayH3117 nor nightH3915 seethH7200(QalActPtc) sleepH8142 with his eyes:H5869) ^[17] Then I beheldH7200(QalPerf) all the workH4639 of God,H430 that a manH120 cannotH3201(QalImpf) find outH4672(QalInf) the workH4639 that is doneH6213(NiphPerf) under the sun:H8121 becauseH834 thoughH7945 a manH120 labourH5998(QalImpf) to seek [it] out,H1245(PielInf) yet he shall not findH4672(QalImpf) [it]; yea further; though a wiseH2450 [man] thinkH559(QalImpf) to knowH3045(QalInf) [it], yet shall he not be ableH3201(QalImpf) to findH4672(QalInf) [it].

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