Ecclesiastes 8
1 who? like/as [the] wise and who? to know interpretation word: thing wisdom man to light face his and strength face his to change
Who can compare to the truly wise? Who knows how to interpret things? If you have wisdom your face lights up, and your stern look is softened.
2 I lip: word king to keep: obey and upon cause oath God
My advice is to do what the king says, since that's what you promised God.
3 not to dismay from face his to go: went not to stand: stand in/on/with word: case bad: evil for all which to delight in to make: do
Don't be quick to walk out on the king without thinking what you're doing, and don't get involved with those who plot against him, for the king can do what he pleases.
4 in/on/with in which word king power and who? to say to/for him what? to make: do
The king's orders have supreme authority—who is going to question him, saying, “What are you doing?”
5 to keep: obey commandment not to know word: thing bad: evil and time and justice: custom to know heart wise
Those who follow his commands will not be involved in doing evil. Wise people think, recognizing there's a right time, and a right way.
6 for to/for all pleasure there time and justice: custom for distress: harm [the] man many upon him
For there's a right time and a right way for everything, even when things are going badly for you.
7 for nothing he to know what? which/that to be for like/as as which to be who? to tell to/for him
No one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
8 nothing man domineering in/on/with spirit to/for to restrain [obj] [the] spirit and nothing power in/on/with day [the] death and nothing deputation in/on/with battle and not to escape wickedness [obj] master: owning his
No one can hold onto the breath of life; no one can prevent the day when they die. There's no way of escaping that battle, and the wicked won't be saved by their wickedness!
9 [obj] all this to see: see and to give: put [obj] heart my to/for all deed which to make: do underneath: under [the] sun time which to domineer [the] man in/on/with man to/for bad: evil to/for him
I examined all these things, and thought about all that happens here on earth, and the damage that's caused when people dominate others.
10 and in/on/with so to see: see wicked to bury and to come (in): come and from place holy to go: went and to forget in/on/with city which right to make: do also this vanity
Yes, I have seen wicked people buried with great honor. They used to go to the holy place, and were praised in the very city where they did their evil. This is hard to understand!
11 which nothing to make: do edict deed [the] distress: evil haste upon so to fill heart son: child [the] man in/on/with them to/for to make: do bad: evil
When people are not punished quickly for their crimes they are even more determined to do wrong.
12 which to sin to make: do bad: evil hundred and to prolong to/for him for also to know I which to be pleasant to/for afraid [the] God which to fear: revere from to/for face: before his
Even though a sinner may do wrong a hundred times, and live a long life, I'm convinced that those who do what God says will be better off.
13 and pleasant not to be to/for wicked and not to prolong day like/as shadow which nothing he afraid from to/for face: before God
In fact, the wicked will not live long, passing like a shadow, because they refuse to follow God.
14 there vanity which to make: do upon [the] land: country/planet which there righteous which to touch to(wards) them like/as deed [the] wicked and there wicked which/that to touch to(wards) them like/as deed [the] righteous to say which/that also this vanity
Another thing that is hard to understand is this: good people are treated as the wicked should be, and the wicked are treated as good people should be. As I say, this is difficult to comprehend!
15 and to praise I [obj] [the] joy which nothing pleasant to/for man underneath: under [the] sun that if: except if: except to/for to eat and to/for to drink and to/for to rejoice and he/she/it to join him in/on/with trouble his day life his which to give: give to/for him [the] God underneath: under [the] sun
So I recommend enjoying life. There's nothing better for us here on earth than to eat and drink and be happy. Such an attitude will go with us as we work, and as we live our lives that God gives us here on earth.
16 like/as as which to give: put [obj] heart my to/for to know wisdom and to/for to see: see [obj] [the] task which to make: do upon [the] land: country/planet for also in/on/with day and in/on/with night sleep in/on/with eye: appearance his nothing he to see: see
When I applied my mind to discovering wisdom and observing everything people do here on earth, I couldn't get any sleep, day or night.
17 and to see: see [obj] all deed: work [the] God for not be able [the] man to/for to find [obj] [the] deed: work which to make: do underneath: under [the] sun in/on/with which/that to/for which to toil [the] man to/for to seek and not to find and also if to say [the] wise to/for to know not be able to/for to find
Then I studied everything God does, and I realized that no one can fully understand what happens here. However, hard they try, however wise they claim to be, they can't really comprehend it.
