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
Ecclesiastes 8
American Standard Version
8 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 [a]hardness of his face is changed. 2 I counsel thee, Keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 For the king’s word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment: 6 for to every [b]purpose there is a time and judgment; because the [c]misery of man is great upon him: 7 for he knoweth not that which shall be; [d]for who can tell him how it shall be? 8 There is no man that hath power over the [e]spirit to retain the [f]spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge [g]in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it. 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: [h]there is a time wherein one man hath power over another [i]to his hurt. 10 So I saw the wicked buried, [j]and they came to the grave; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity. 11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is [k]fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that 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 are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are 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 joyful: [l]for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun. 16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the [m]business that is done upon the earth [n](for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes), 17 then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 8:1 Hebrew strength.
- Ecclesiastes 8:6 Or, matter
- Ecclesiastes 8:6 Or, evil
- Ecclesiastes 8:7 Or, for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?
- Ecclesiastes 8:8 Or, wind
- Ecclesiastes 8:8 Or, wind
- Ecclesiastes 8:8 Or, in battle
- Ecclesiastes 8:9 Or, what time one man had etc.
- Ecclesiastes 8:9 Or, to his own hurt
- Ecclesiastes 8:10 Or, who had come and gone away from the holy place; and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. Or, and men came and went etc.
- Ecclesiastes 8:11 Or, emboldened
- Ecclesiastes 8:15 Or, and that this should accompany him
- Ecclesiastes 8:16 Or, travail
- Ecclesiastes 8:16 Or, how that neither by day nor by night do men see sleep with their eyes
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.
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