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
Revised Standard Version
Obey the King and Enjoy Yourself
8 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 countenance is changed.
2 Keep[a] the king’s command, and because of your sacred oath be not dismayed; 3 go from his presence, do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 He who obeys a command will meet no harm, and the mind of a wise man will know the time and way. 6 For every matter has its time and way, although man’s trouble lies heavy upon him. 7 For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or authority over the day of death; there is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I observed while applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while man lords it over man to his hurt.
God’s Ways Are Inscrutable
10 Then I saw the wicked buried; they used to go in and out of the holy place, and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the sons of men is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him; 13 but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
14 There is a vanity which takes place on earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend enjoyment, for man has no good thing under the sun but to eat and drink and enjoy himself, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of life which God gives him under the sun.
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night one’s eyes see sleep; 17 then I saw all the work of God, that 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, he cannot find it out.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 8:2 Heb inserts an I
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.