Ecclesiastes 8
8
1Who can compare to the truly wise?#8:1. In the sense that to be wise is the highest ambition. Literally, “Who is like the wise?” Who knows how to interpret things? If you have wisdom your face lights up, and your stern look is softened.
2My advice#8:2. Taking the initial “I” of the sentence to mean “I say.” is to do what the king says, since that's what you promised God. 3Don'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,#8:3. Literally, “the matter is unpleasant.” This term is believed to refer to a plot or a rebellion against a king. for the king can do what he pleases. 4The king's orders have supreme authority—who is going to question him, saying, “What are you doing?” 5Those who follow his commands will not be involved in doing evil. Wise people think, recognizing there's a right time, and a right way.#8:5. Alternatively, “Wise people know there's a time of judgment.” 6For there's a right time and a right way for everything, even when things are going badly for you.#8:6. “Even when things are going badly for you”: literally, “even though trouble is heavy on the mortal.”
7No one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds? 8No 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! 9I examined all these things, and thought about all that happens here on earth, and the damage that's caused when people dominate others. 10Yes, I have seen wicked people buried with great honor.#8:10. The Hebrew simply says “the wicked were buried,” but since this is unremarkable it is understood that they were buried with much show and ceremony. They used to go to the holy place,#8:10. The Hebrew text is unclear. “Holy place” would refer to the Temple or the synagogue. and were praised in the very city where they did their evil. This is hard to understand! 11When people are not punished quickly for their crimes they are even more determined to do wrong. 12Even 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. 13In fact, the wicked will not live long, passing like a shadow, because they refuse to follow God.
14Another 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!
15So 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.
16When I applied my mind to discovering wisdom and observing everything people do here on earth, I couldn't get any sleep, day or night.#8:16. “I couldn't get any sleep, day or night”: alternatively, “no one has any rest, day or night.” 17Then 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.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Ecclesiastes 8
8
Wisdom, Authorities, and Inequities
1Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed. # Dt 28:50
2Keep # Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Tg, Syr; other Hb mss read I, keep the king’s command because of your oath made before God. # Ex 22:11; 2Sm 21:7; Ezk 17:18 3Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence, # Ec 10:4 and don’t persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants. 4For the king’s word is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing? ” # Jb 9:12; Dn 4:35 5The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, # Rm 13:3 and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. 6For every activity there is a right time and procedure, # Ec 3:1,17 even though man’s troubles are heavy on him. 7Yet no one knows what will happen # Ec 3:22; 6:12; 9:12; 10:14 because who can tell him what will happen? 8No one has authority over the wind # Or life-breath to restrain it, # Ps 148:8; Pr 30:4; Mk 4:39 and there is no authority over the day of death; # Jn 10:18; 2Tm 1:10 there is no furlough in battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape. 9All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm.
10In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place, # Ec 9:5 and they were praised # Some Hb mss, LXX, Aq, Theod, Sym; other Hb mss read forgotten in the city where they did so. This too is futile. 11Because the sentence against a criminal act is not carried out quickly, # Rm 2:4; 2Pt 3:9 the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit crime. 12Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life, # Ec 7:15 yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, # Dt 12:25; Ps 37:11; Pr 1:33; Is 3:10 for they are reverent before Him. 13However, it will not go well with the wicked, # Is 3:11 and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, # Jb 14:2; Ec 6:12 for they are not reverent before God.
14There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, # Ec 7:15 and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. # Jb 21:7; Ps 73:3; Jr 12:1 I say that this too is futile. 15So I commended enjoyment because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself, # Ec 2:24 for this will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.
16When I applied my mind to know wisdom # Ec 1:13-14 and to observe the activity that is done on the earth (even though one’s eyes do not close in sleep day or night), 17I observed all the work of God and concluded that man is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; # Ec 3:11; 7:25-29; 11:5 even if the wise man claims to know it, he is unable to discover it.
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