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No One Knows the Future

Surely no one knows what will be,
    so who can tell anyone what will happen?
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

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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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:9 Literally “sometimes one man domineers another man to his harm”
  2. Ecclesiastes 8:11 Literally “the sons of the man”
  3. Ecclesiastes 8:12 Literally “from before his face”
  4. Ecclesiastes 8:13 Literally “from before the face of God”

If no one (A)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? (B)No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and (C)evil will not save [a]those who practice it. All this I have seen, and have applied my [b]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised (D)authority over another person to his detriment.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:8 Lit its possessors
  2. Ecclesiastes 8:9 Lit heart
  3. Ecclesiastes 8:11 Lit full to do
  4. Ecclesiastes 8:12 Lit before Him