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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Ecclesiastes 8
8
1#Dt 28:50; Ex 34:29–30 Who is like a wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a matter?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
and the harshness of his face is softened.
The Value of Obedience
2#1Ki 2:43I say, “Keep the king’s command, because of your oath to God. 3#Ecc 10:4Do not be hasty to leave his presence. Do not take a stand in an unpleasant matter, for he does whatever pleases him.” 4#Job 9:12; Da 4:35For the word of the king is powerful, and who would say to him, “What are you doing?”
5He who keeps his command will know no evil thing;
and a wise heart will know the appropriate time and just way.
6#Ecc 3:1; 3:17 For to every matter there is an appropriate time and just way,
though a man’s distress weighs heavily on him.
7#Ecc 6:12; 9:12 For he does not know what will happen;
for who can declare to him what will occur?
8#Job 14:5; Isa 28:15 There is not a man with mastery over the wind to restrain it,
nor with power over the day of death.
And no one can discharge a battle,
nor can wickedness rescue the one possessing it.
9#Ecc 5:8All this I saw while applying my heart to every work that is done under the sun, when one man rules over another to the other’s hurt.
God’s Unknowable Ways
10#Ecc 9:5; Pr 10:7Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised#Or the Heb. forgotten. in the city where they did works. This is also vanity.
11#Ps 10:6; Isa 26:10Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed swiftly, the heart of the sons of men is fully set to do evil. 12#Ps 37:11; 37:18–19Since one who sins may do evil a hundred times and extend his life, I also have experienced that it will be good for those who fear God when they have reverence before Him. 13#Job 14:2; Ecc 6:12But it will not be well for the wicked, and he will not prolong his days, like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
14#Ecc 7:15; Mal 3:15There is a vanity that takes place on the earth that there are righteous men who are treated according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked men who are treated according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15#Ecc 2:24; 3:12–13And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun than to eat and drink and be joyful; for this will go with him in his labor all the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
16#Ps 127:2; Ecc 1:13When I set my heart to know wisdom and to experience the affairs that are done on earth, though day and night there is no sleep for one’s eyes, 17#Ecc 3:11; Ps 73:16then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Inasmuch as a man labors to seek, he will not understand. Even if a wise man claims to know, he cannot grasp it.
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