Ecclesiastes 8
Common English Bible
8 Who is wise? And who knows the meaning of anything?
A person’s wisdom brightens the expression;
it changes the hardness of someone’s face.
Watch out for power
2 Keep[a] the king’s command
as you would keep a solemn pledge.
3 Don’t be dismayed; leave his presence.
Don’t linger in a harmful situation
because he can do whatever he wants!
4 Because the king’s word has authority,
no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 Whoever keeps a command will meet no harm, and the wise heart knows the right time and the right way 6 because there’s a right time and right way for every matter. But human misfortunes are overwhelming 7 because no one knows what will happen, and no one can say when something might happen. 8 No one has control over the life-breath,[b] to retain it, and there’s no control over the day of death. There’s no release from war, and wickedness won’t deliver those who practice it.
9 I observed all of this as I paid attention to all that happens under the sun. Sometimes people exercise power over each other to their detriment. 10 Then I saw the wicked brought to their graves, with people processing from a holy place,[c] while those who had lived honestly were neglected in the city. This too is pointless.
11 The condemnation for wicked acts isn’t carried out quickly; that’s why people dare to do evil. 12 Wrongdoers may commit a hundred crimes but still live long lives. But I also know that it will go well for those who fear God, for those who are reverent before God. 13 But it will not go well for the wicked; they won’t live long at all because they aren’t reverent before God. 14 Here’s another thing that happens on earth that is pointless: the righteous get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked get what the righteous deserve. I say that this too is pointless.
Enjoy life
15 So I commend enjoyment because there’s nothing better for people to do under the sun but to eat, drink, and be glad. This is what will accompany them in their hard work, during the lifetime that God gives under the sun.
16 Then I set my mind to know wisdom and to observe the business that happens on earth, even going without sleep day and night 17 I observed all the work of God—that no one can grasp what happens under the sun. Those who strive to know can’t grasp it. Even the wise who are set on knowing are unable to grasp it.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 8:2 Correction; Heb I (say?) keep
- Ecclesiastes 8:8 Or wind
- Ecclesiastes 8:10 Or temple
Ecclesiastes 8
Amplified Bible
Obey Rulers
8 Who is like the wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a matter?
A man’s wisdom illumines his face,
And causes his stern face to beam.
2 I counsel you to keep the command of the king because of the oath before God [by which you swore loyalty to him].(A) 3 Do not be in a hurry to get out of his presence. Do not join in a malevolent matter, for the king will do whatever he pleases.
4
For the word of a king is authoritative and powerful,
And who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
5
Whoever keeps and observes a royal command will experience neither trouble nor misery;
For a wise heart will know the [a]proper time and [appropriate] procedure.
6
For there is a [b]proper time and [appropriate] procedure for every delight,
Though mankind’s misery and trouble lies heavily upon him [who rebels against the king].
7
For no one knows what will happen;
So who can tell him how and when it will happen?
8
There is no man who has power and authority over the wind to restrain the wind,
Nor does he have authority over the day of death;
There is no discharge [from service] during time of war,
And evil will not rescue those who [actively seek to] practice it.
9 All this I have seen while applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has exercised power over others to their detriment.
10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place [but did not thereby escape their doom], and they are [praised in spite of their evil and] soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility (vanity, emptiness). 11 Because the sentence against an evil act is not executed quickly, the hearts of the sons of men are fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his life [seemingly] is prolonged [in spite of his wickedness], still I know that it will be well with those who [reverently] fear God, who fear and worship Him openly [realizing His omnipresence and His power].(B) 13 But it will not be well for the evil man, nor will he lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.(C)
14 There is a meaningless and futile thing which is done on the earth: that is, there are righteous men whose gain is as though they were evil, and evil men whose gain is as though they were righteous. I say that this too is futility (meaningless, vain). 15 Then I commended pleasure and enjoyment, because a man [without God] has no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be merry, for this will stand by him in his toil through the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the activities [of mankind] that take place upon the earth—how some men seem to sleep neither day nor night— 17 and I saw all the work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though man may labor in seeking, he will not discover; and [more than that], though a wise man thinks and claims he knows, he will not be able to find it out.(D)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 8:5 Lit time and judgment.
- Ecclesiastes 8:6 Lit time and judgment.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
