Ecclesiastes 8

1 Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

2 Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.

3 Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.

4 For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

6 For there is a right time and procedure to every purpose, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him.

7 Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?

8 As no man has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has authority over his day of death. As no one can be discharged in wartime, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

9 All this I have seen, applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment.

10 Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile.

11 When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.

12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

13 Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

14 There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.

15 So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the task that one performs on the earth—though his eyes do not see sleep in the day or even in the night—

17 I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.

1 ¶ 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 further; though a wise [man] think to know [it], yet shall he not be able to find [it].

1 The wisdom of man enlighteneth his face: but he that is bold is hostile,

2 I keep the word of the King and the oath of God.

3 Hasten not to depart from his presence, neither tarry in evil: for he doeth that which he lusteth after.

4 There is power in the king's word: and who shall say unto him, What doest thou?

5 He that keepeth the commandment shall know no evil: but the heart of a wise man knoweth the time and the manner.

6 For to every purpose there is a season and a time: for the calamity of man is much with him.

7 For he knoweth not what hath been; and who shall tell him what shall be?

8 A man hath not power over the spirit to resist the spirit; neither hath he power in the time of death, neither is he loosed in the battle: neither doth the ungodly deliver the ungodly.

9 I have seen all these things, and have set my heart upon all the works that are done under the sun. One man at a time ruleth over another to his own hurt.

10 And there I saw the wicked buried, which had walked, and had walked in the holy place, and were forgotten in the city, because they had done so. This also is vain.

11 Because judgment of evil works is not soon executed, thereby men's hearts are filled with doing evil.

12 Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and yet live long, yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear his face.

13 For it shall not prosper the wicked, neither shall they live long, as a shadow, that fear not God.

14 There is a vanity that is done in the earth. The righteous are as though they had the works of the wicked; and the wicked are as though they had the works of the righteous. And I said, This also is vanity.

15 Therefore I commend joy, that there is nothing better for a man under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be merry: and such shall he have of the work of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

16 I gave my heart to know the wisdom, and to behold the travail that is upon the earth, that no man should see sleep with his eyes day or night.

17 And I saw all the works of God. For a man cannot find the work that is done under the sun; and the more a man labors to seek, the less he finds. Though he say, I am wise, and know it, yet can he not find it.