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If no one (A)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? (B)There is no man who has power to restrain the wind with the wind, and there is none who has power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and (C)wickedness will not provide escape to its masters. All this I have seen and given my heart to every work that has been done under the sun wherein a man has (D)power over another man to his calamity.

10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are (E)soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is vanity. 11 Because the (F)sentence against an evil work is not executed quickly, therefore (G)the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may (H)prolong his life, still I know that it will be (I)well for those who fear God, who fear [a]Him openly. 13 But it will (J)not be well for the wicked man, and he will not prolong his days like a (K)shadow, because he does not fear [b]God openly.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:12 Lit before Him
  2. Ecclesiastes 8:13 Lit before Him

Yet no one knows what will happen(A) because who can tell him what will happen? No one has authority over the wind[a] to restrain it,(B) and there is no authority over the day of death;(C) no one is discharged during battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape. All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one person has authority over another to his harm.

10 In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place,(D) and they were praised[b] in the city where they did those things. This too is futile. 11 Because the sentence against an evil act is not carried out quickly,(E) the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life,(F) I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people,(G) for they are reverent before him. 13 However, it will not go well with the wicked,(H) and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow,(I) for they are not reverent before God.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:8 Or life-breath
  2. 8:10 Some Hb mss, LXX, Aq, Theod, Sym; other Hb mss read forgotten