Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

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.