Ecclesiastes 8:7-13
American Standard Version
7 for he knoweth not that which shall be; [a]for who can tell him how it shall be? 8 There is no man that hath power over the [b]spirit to retain the [c]spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge [d]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: [e]there is a time wherein one man hath power over another [f]to his hurt. 10 So I saw the wicked buried, [g]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 [h]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.
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- 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 8:7-13
Lexham English Bible
No One Knows the Future
7 Surely no one knows what will be,
so who can tell anyone what will happen?
8 Just as no one can control the wind to restrain the wind,
so also no one can control the day of his death.
Just as no one is discharged in time of war,
so wickedness will not deliver the wicked.
The World Marred by Oppression and Injustice
9 I saw all this as I applied my heart to all the deeds done under the sun: sometimes those in authority harm others.[a] 10 Meanwhile, I saw the wicked being honorably buried, but those who came and went from the holy place were forgotten in the city, even though they had done so. This also is vanity!
Although Evil is Not Punished Swiftly, God Does Eventually Punish Sinners
11 Because sentence against an evil deed is not carried out quickly, the heart of humans[b] fills up within them to do evil. 12 Although the sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will be good for those who fear God—because they fear his presence.[c] 13 But it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not prolong their days, like the shadow; because there is no fearing God’s presence.[d]
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- Ecclesiastes 8:9 Literally “sometimes one man domineers another man to his harm”
- Ecclesiastes 8:11 Literally “the sons of the man”
- Ecclesiastes 8:12 Literally “from before his face”
- Ecclesiastes 8:13 Literally “from before the face of God”
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