Ecclesiastes 8 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible

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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 wise H2450 man? and who knoweth H3045 (QalActPtc) the interpretation H6592 of a thing? H1697 a man’s H120 wisdom H2451 maketh his face H6440 to shine, H215 (HiphImpf) and the boldness H5797§ of his face H6440 shall be changed. H8132 (PualImpf) [2] I counsel thee to keep H8104 (QalImpv) the king’s H4428 commandment, H6310 and that in regard H1700 of the oath H7621 of God. H430 [3] Be not hasty H926 (NiphImpf) to go out H3212 (QalImpf) of his sight: H6440 stand H5975 (QalImpf) not in an evil H7451 thing; H1697 for he doeth H6213 (QalImpf) whatsoever pleaseth H2654 (QalImpf) him. [4] Where the word H1697 of a king H4428 is, there is power: H7983 and who may say H559 (QalImpf) unto him, What doest H6213 (QalImpf) thou? [5] Whoso keepeth H8104 (QalActPtc) the commandment H4687 shall feel H3045 (QalImpf)§ no evil H7451 thing: H1697 and a wise man’s H2450 heart H3820 discerneth H3045 (QalImpf) both time H6256 and judgment. H4941 [6] Because to every purpose H2656 there is H3426 time H6256 and judgment, H4941 therefore the misery H7451 of man H120 is great H7227 upon him. [7] For he knoweth H3045 (QalActPtc) not that which shall be: for who can tell H5046 (HiphImpf) him when it shall be?§ [8] There is no man H120 that hath power H7989 over the spirit H7307 to retain H3607 (QalInf) the spirit; H7307 neither hath he power H7983 in the day H3117 of death: H4194 and there is no discharge§ H4917 in that war; H4421 neither shall wickedness H7562 deliver H4422 (PielImpf) those that are given H1167 to it. [9] All this have I seen, H7200 (QalPerf) and applied H5414 (QalInf) my heart H3820 unto every work H4639 that is done H6213 (NiphPerf) under the sun: H8121 there is a time H6256 wherein one man H120 ruleth H7980 (QalPerf) over another to his own hurt. H7451 [10] And so H3651 I saw H7200 (QalPerf) the wicked H7563 buried, H6912 (QalPasPtc) who had come H935 (QalPerf) and gone H1980 (PielImpf) from the place H4725 of the holy, H6918 and they were forgotten H7911 (HithImpf) in the city H5892 where they had so done: H6213 (QalPerf) this is also vanity. H1892 [11] Because sentence H6599 against an evil H7451 work H4639 is not executed H6213 (NiphPerf) speedily, H4120 therefore the heart H3820 of the sons H1121 of men H120 is fully set H4390 (QalPerf) in them to do H6213 (QalInf) evil. H7451 [12] Though a sinner H2398 (QalActPtc) do H6213 (QalActPtc) evil H7451 an hundred times, H3967 and his days be prolonged, H748 (HiphPtc) yet surely I know H3045 (QalActPtc) that it shall be well H2896 with them that fear H3373 God, H430 which fear H3372 (QalImpf) before H6440 him: [13] but it shall not be well H2896 with the wicked, H7563 neither shall he prolong H748 (HiphImpf) his days, H3117 which are as a shadow; H6738 because he feareth H3373 not before H6440 God. H430 [14] There is H3426 a vanity H1892 which is done H6213 (NiphPerf) upon the earth; H776 that there be just H6662 men, unto whom it happeneth H5060 (HiphPtc) according to the work H4639 of the wicked; H7563 again, there be H3426 wicked H7563 men, to whom it happeneth H5060 (HiphPtc) according to the work H4639 of the righteous: H6662 I said H559 (QalPerf) that this also H1571 is vanity. H1892 [15] Then I commended H7623 (PielPerf) mirth, H8057 because a man H120 hath no better thing H2896 under the sun, H8121 than to eat, H398 (QalInf) and to drink, H8354 (QalInf) and to be merry: H8055 (QalInf) for that shall abide H3867 (QalImpf) with him of his labour H5999 the days H3117 of his life, H2416 which God H430 giveth H5414 (QalPerf) him under the sun. H8121 [16] When I applied H5414 (QalPerf) mine heart H3820 to know H3045 (QalInf) wisdom, H2451 and to see H7200 (QalInf) the business H6045 that is done H6213 (NiphPerf) upon the earth: H776 (for also there is that neither day H3117 nor night H3915 seeth H7200 (QalActPtc) sleep H8142 with his eyes:) H5869 [17] then I beheld H7200 (QalPerf) all the work H4639 of God, H430 that a man H120 cannot H3201 (QalImpf) find out H4672 (QalInf) the work H4639 that is done H6213 (NiphPerf) under the sun: H8121 because H834 though H7945 a man H120 labour H5998 (QalImpf) to seek it out, H1245 (PielInf) yet he shall not find H4672 (QalImpf) it; yea farther; though a wise H2450 man think H559 (QalImpf) to know H3045 (QalInf) it, yet shall he not be able H3201 (QalImpf) to find H4672 (QalInf) it.

Footnotes

  1. § 8:1 Heb. the strength
  2. § 8:5 Heb. shall know
  3. § 8:7 Or, how it shall be?
  4. § 8:8 Or, casting of weapons
Byzantine Greek New Testament
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