Ecclesiastes 8

1WhoH4310 is like the wise manH2450? WhoH4310 knowsH3045 the interpretationH6592 of a matterH1697? A man’sH120 wisdomH2451 brightensH215 his faceH6440, and the sternnessH5797 of his faceH6440 is changedH8132.

2KeepH8104 the king’sH4428 commandH6310, I sayH589, because ofH5921H1700 your oathH7621 before GodH430. 3Do notH408 hastenH926 to leaveH1980 his presenceH6440, and do notH408 persistH5975 in a badH7451 causeH1697, forH3588 he will doH6213 whateverH3605 he pleasesH2654. 4ForH834 the king’sH4428 wordH1697 is supremeH7983, and whoH4310 can sayH559 to him, “WhatH4100 are you doingH6213?”

5Whoever keepsH8104 his commandH4687 will come toH3045H1697 noH3808 harmH7451, and a wiseH2450 heartH3820 knowsH3045 the right timeH6256 and procedureH4941. 6ForH3588 there isH3426 a right timeH6256 and procedureH4941 to everyH3605 purposeH2656, thoughH3588 a man’sH120 miseryH7451 weighs heavilyH7227 upon himH5921. 7SinceH3588 no oneH369 knowsH3045 whatH4100 will happenH1961, whoH4310 can tellH5046 him whatH834 is to comeH1961?

8As noH369 manH120 has powerH7989 over the windH7307 to containH3607 it, so no oneH369 has authorityH7983 over his dayH3117 of deathH4194. As no oneH369 can be dischargedH4917 in wartimeH4421, so wickednessH7562 will notH3808 releaseH4422 those who practice itH1167. 9AllH3605 thisH2088 I have seenH7200, applyingH5414 my mindH3820 to everyH3605 deedH4639 thatH834 is doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121; there is a timeH6256 whenH834 one manH120 lords itH7980 over anotherH120 to his own detrimentH7451.

Fear God

(Isaiah 8:11–15)

10Then tooH3651, I sawH7200 the burialH6912 of the wickedH7563 who used to go inH935 and outH1980 of the holyH6918 placeH4725, and they were praisedH79111 in the cityH5892 whereH834 they had doneH6213 soH3651. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892. 11WhenH834 the sentenceH6599 for a crimeH7451H4639 is notH369 speedilyH4120 executedH6213H5921H3651, the heartsH3820 of menH1121H120 become fully setH4390 on doingH6213 evilH7451.

12AlthoughH834 a sinnerH2398 doesH6213 evilH7451 a hundredH3967 times and still lives longH748, yetH3588 IH589 alsoH1571 knowH3045 thatH834 it will goH1961 wellH2896 with those whoH834 fearH3372 GodH430, who are reverentH3373 in His presenceH6440. 13Yet becauseH834 the wicked do notH369 fearH3373H6440 GodH430, it will notH3808 goH1961 wellH2896 withH7563 them, and their daysH3117 will notH3808 lengthenH748 like a shadowH6738.

God’s Ways Are Mysterious

14There isH3426 a futilityH1892 thatH834 is doneH6213 onH5921 the earthH776: There areH3426 righteousH6662 men whoH834 getH5060H413 what the actionsH4639 of the wickedH7563 deserve, and there areH3426 wickedH7563 men whoH413 getH5060 what the actionsH4639 of the righteous deserveH6662. I sayH559 that thisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892.

15So IH589 commendedH7623 the enjoyment of lifeH8057, becauseH834 there is nothingH369 betterH2896 for a manH120 underH8478 the sunH8121 thanH3588H518 to eatH398 and drinkH8354 and be merryH8055. For thisH1931 joy will accompany himH3867 in his laborH5999 during the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416 thatH834 GodH430 givesH5414 him underH8478 the sunH8121.

16WhenH834 I appliedH5414 my mindH3820 to knowH3045 wisdomH2451 and to observeH7200 the taskH6045 thatH834 one performsH6213 onH5921 the earthH776—thoughH3588H1571 his eyesH5869 do notH369 seeH7200 sleepH8142 in the dayH3117 or even in the nightH3915— 17I sawH7200 everyH3605 workH4639 of GodH430, and thatH3588 a manH120 is unableH3808H3201 to comprehendH4672 the workH4639 thatH834 is doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121. Despite his effortsH5998 to search it outH1245, he cannotH3808 findH4672 its meaning; evenH1571 ifH518 the wiseH2450 man claimsH559 to knowH3045, he is unableH3808H3201 to comprehendH4672.