Ecclesiastes 8:7-13

English Standard Version

⁷ For he ^(A)does not know what is to be, for ^(B)who can tell him how it will be? ⁸ No man has power to ^(C)retain the spirit, ^(D)or power over the day of death. There is no ^(E)discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. ^9 (F)All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.

Those Who Fear God Will Do Well

¹⁰ Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of ^(G)the holy place and were ^(H)praised^[a] in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.^{[b] 11} Because ^(I)the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, ^(J)the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. ¹² Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and ^(K)prolongs his life, yet I know that ^(L)it will be well with ^(M)those who fear God, because they fear before him. ¹³ But it will ^(N)not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like ^(O)a shadow, because he does not fear before God.