Ecclesiastes 8:1-8

1Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A person’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

2Keep the king’s command because of your oath made before God.

3Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence, 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?”

5The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

6For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though a person’s troubles are heavy on him.

7Yet no one knows what will happen because who can tell him what will happen?

8No one has authority over the wind to restrain it, and there is no authority over the day of death; no one is discharged during battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape.