Ecclesiastes 8

1 The wisdom of a man shines in his countenance, and even the expression of a most powerful man will change.

Who is like the wise man, and who knoweth the explanation of a thing? A man's wisdom brighteneth his countenance, and the harshness of his face is changed.

2 I heed the mouth of the king, and the commandment of an oath to God.

I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that on account of the oath of God.

3 You should not hastily withdraw from his presence, nor should you remain in an evil work. For all that pleases him, he will do.

Be not in haste to depart from his presence; persist not in an evil thing; for whatever pleaseth him, that he doeth.

4 And his word is filled with authority. Neither is anyone able to say to him: “Why are you acting this way?”

For the word of the king is powerful; and who can say to him, “What doest thou?”

5 Whoever keeps the commandment will not experience evil. The heart of a wise man understands the time to respond.

He that keepeth the commandment shall experience no evil; and the heart of the wise man hath regard to time and judgment.

6 For every matter, there is a time and an opportunity, as well as many difficulties, for man.

For to every thing there is a time and judgment. For the misery of man is great upon him.

7 For he is ignorant of the past, and he is able to know nothing of the future by means of a messenger.

For no one knoweth what shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

8 It is not in the power of a man to prohibit the spirit, nor does he have authority over the day of death, nor is he permitted to rest when war breaks out, and neither will impiety save the impious.

No man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no man hath power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war; and wickedness shall not deliver those that are guilty of it.

9 I have considered all these things, and I have applied my heart to all the works which are being done under the sun. Sometimes one man rules over another to his own harm.

All this have I seen, and I have given heed to all things that are done under the sun. There is a time when man ruleth over man to his hurt.

10 I have seen the impious buried. These same, while they were still living, were in the holy place, and they were praised in the city as workers of justice. But this, too, is emptiness.

And so I saw the wicked buried, while the righteous came and went from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city. This also is vanity.

11 For the sons of men perpetrate evils without any fear, because judgment is not pronounced quickly against the evil.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore doth the heart of the sons of men become bold within them to do evil.

12 But although a sinner may do evil of himself one hundred times, and by patience still endure, I realize that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere his face.

But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and have his days prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him.

13 So, may it not go well with the impious, and may his days not be prolonged. And let those who do not fear the face of the Lord pass away like a shadow.

But it shall not be well with the wicked: he shall be like a shadow, and shall not prolong his days, because he feareth not before God.

14 There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are the just, to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the impious. And there are the impious, who are very secure, as though they possess the deeds of the just. But this, too, I judge to be a very great vanity.

There is a vanity which taketh place upon the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked, and that there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said, “This also is vanity!”

15 And so, I praised rejoicing, because there was no good for a man under the sun, except to eat and drink, and to be cheerful, and because he may take nothing with him from his labor in the days of his life, which God has given to him under the sun.

Then I commended joy; because nothing is good for a man under the sun, except to eat and to drink and to be joyful; for it is this that abideth with him for his labor during the days of his life which God giveth him under the sun.

16 And I applied my heart, so that I might know wisdom, and so that I might understand a disturbance that turns upon the earth: it is a man, who takes no sleep with his eyes, day and night.

When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business which is done upon the earth, —that one seeth no sleep with his eyes by day or by night, —

17 And I understood that man is able to find no explanation for all those works of God which are done under the sun. And so, the more that he labors to seek, so much the less does he find. Yes, even if a wise man were to claim that he knows, he would not be able to discover it.

then I saw the whole work of God, that a man cannot comprehend that which is done under the sun; how much soever he labor to search it out, yet shall he not comprehend it; yea, though a wise man resolve to know it, yet shall he not be able to comprehend it.