Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

New American Standard Bible 1995

Obey Rulers

8 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom ^(A)illumines ^[a]him and causes his ^(B)stern face to ^[b]beam.

² I say, “Keep the ^[c]command of the king because of the ^(C)oath ^[d]before God. ³ Do not be in a hurry ^[e](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 He who ^(F)keeps a royal command ^(G)experiences no ^[f]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 man’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 man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and ^(K)evil will not deliver ^[g]those who practice it. ⁹ All this I have seen and applied my ^[h]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised ^(L)authority over another man to his hurt.