Ecclesiastes 8:2-6
Expanded Bible
2 ·Obey [Keep; or I obey/keep] the king’s command, because ·you made a promise [of your oath] to God. 3 ·Don’t be too quick to leave the king [or You should leave his presence]. Don’t ·support something that is wrong [persist in an evil matter], because the king does whatever he ·pleases [wants]. 4 What the king says is ·law [supreme]; no one ·tells him what to do [L says to him, “What are you doing?].
5 Whoever obeys the king’s command ·will be safe [experiences no harm/evil].
A wise ·person does [L heart knows] the right thing at the right time.
6 There is a right time and a right way for everything [3:1–8; Prov. 15:23],
yet people often have many troubles.
Ecclesiastes 8:2-6
New American Standard Bible
2 I say, “Keep the [a]command of the king because of the (A)oath [b]before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry [c](B)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, (C)who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 One who (D)keeps a royal command (E)experiences no [d]trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For (F)there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
