New American Standard Bible 1995

Ecclesiastes 8

Obey Rulers

1Whoמִ֚יmiH4310is like the wiseכְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔םke.He.cha.KhamH2450manH2450and whoוּמִ֥יu.MiH4310knowsיוֹדֵ֖עַyo.De.a'H3045the interpretationפֵּ֣שֶׁרPe.sherH6592of a matterדָּבָ֑רda.VarH1697?A man’sאָדָם֙'a.DamH120wisdomחָכְמַ֤תcha.khe.MatH2451illuminesתָּאִ֣ירta.'IrH215him and causes hissternוְעֹ֥זve.'OzH5797faceH6440tobeamיְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃ye.shu.Ne'H8132.

2I say, “Keepשְׁמ֔וֹרshe.MorH8104thecommandפִּי־pi-H6310of the kingמֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekhH4428becauseוְעַ֕לve.'AlH5921 H1697of theoathשְׁבוּעַ֥תshe.vu.'AtH7621before Godאֱלֹהִֽים׃'E.lo.HimH430.

3Do not be in a hurryתִּבָּהֵ֤לti.ba.HelH926to leaveתֵּלֵ֔ךְte.LekhH1980 H4480him. Do not joinתַּעֲמֹ֖דta.'a.ModH5975in an evilרָ֑עRa'H7451matterבְּדָבָ֣רbe.da.VarH1697,for he will doיַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ya.'a.SehH6213whateverכָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥רkol- 'a.SherH3605 H834he pleasesיַחְפֹּ֖ץyach.PotzH2654.”

4Sinceבַּאֲשֶׁ֥רba.'a.SherH834the wordדְּבַר־de.var-H1697of the kingמֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekhH4428is authoritativeשִׁלְט֑וֹןshil.TonH7983,whoוּמִ֥יu.MiH4310will sayיֹֽאמַר־yo.mar-H559to him, “Whatמַֽה־mah-H4100are you doingתַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃ta.'a.SehH6213?”

5He whokeepsשׁוֹמֵ֣רsho.MerH8104a royalcommandמִצְוָ֔הmitz.VahH4687experiencesיֵדַ֖עye.Da'H3045noלֹ֥אlo'H3808troubleדָּבָ֣ר רָ֑עda.Var Ra'H1697 H7451,for a wiseחָכָֽם׃cha.KhamH2450heartלֵ֥בlevH3820knowsיֵדַ֖עye.Da'H3045the proper timeוְעֵ֣תve.'EtH6256and procedureוּמִשְׁפָּ֔טu.mish.PatH4941.

6Forthereיֵ֖שׁyeshH3426is a proper timeעֵ֣ת'etH6256and procedureוּמִשְׁפָּ֑טu.mish.PatH4941for everyלְכָל־le.kholH3605delightחֵ֔פֶץChe.fetzH2656,thoughH3588a man’sהָאָדָ֖םha.'a.DamH120troubleH7463is heavyרַבָּ֥הra.BahH7227upon him.

7Ifכִּֽי־ki-H3588noH369oneH369knowsיֹדֵ֖עַyo.De.a'H3045whatמַה־mah-H4100will happenשֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶ֑הshei.yih.YehH1961,whoמִ֖יmiH4310can tellיַגִּ֥ידya.GidH5046him whenכִּ֚יkiH3588 H3512it will happenיִֽהְיֶ֔הyih.YehH1961?

8Noאֵ֣ין'einH369manאָדָ֞ם'a.DamH120hasH7989authorityH7989to restrainלִכְל֣וֹאlikh.Lo'H3607the windבָּר֙וּחַ֙ba.Ru.achH7307with the windהָר֔וּחַha.Ru.achH7307,or authorityשִׁלְטוֹן֙shil.tOnH7983over the dayבְּי֣וֹםbe.YomH3117of deathהַמָּ֔וֶתha.Ma.vetH4194;and thereוְאֵ֤יןve.'EinH369is noוְאֵ֥יןve.'EinH369dischargeמִשְׁלַ֖חַתmish.La.chatH4917in the timeH4421of warH4421, andevilרֶ֖שַׁעRe.sha'H7562will not deliverיְמַלֵּ֥טye.ma.LetH4422those whoH1167practiceH1167it.

9Allכָּל־kol-H3605thisזֶ֤הzehH2088I have seenרָאִ֙יתִי֙ra.'I.tiH7200and appliedוְנָת֣וֹןve.na.TonH5414mymindלִבִּ֔יli.BiH3820to everyלְכָֽל־le.kholH3605deedמַעֲשֶׂ֔הma.'a.SehH4639that has been doneנַעֲשָׂ֖הna.'a.SahH6213underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121whereinH834a manהָאָדָ֛םha.'a.DamH120has exercisedH7980authorityH7980over anothermanבְּאָדָ֖םbe.'a.DamH120to his hurtלְרַ֥עle.Ra'H7451.

10Soוּבְכֵ֡ןu.ve.KhenH3651then, I have seenרָאִיתִי֩ra.'i.TiH7200the wickedרְשָׁעִ֨יםre.sha.'ImH7563buriedקְבֻרִ֜יםke.vu.RimH6912,those who used to goוָבָ֗אוּva.Va.'uH935in and out from the holyקָדוֹשׁ֙ka.do.VoshH6918placeוּמִמְּק֤וֹםu.mi.me.KomH4725, and they are soonforgottenוְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּve.yish.ta.ke.ChuH7911in the cityבָעִ֖ירva.'IrH5892whereאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834they didעָשׂ֑וּ'a.SuH6213thusכֵּן־ken-H3651.Thisזֶ֖הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571is futilityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

11Becauseאֲשֶׁר֙'a.SherH834thesentenceפִתְגָ֔םfit.GamH6599against an evilהָרָעָ֖הha.ra.'AhH7451deedמַעֲשֵׂ֥הma.'a.SehH4639is not executedנַעֲשָׂ֣הna.'a.SahH6213quicklyמְהֵרָ֑הme.he.RahH4120,thereforeעַל־ כֵּ֡ן'al- kenH5921 H3651the heartsלֵ֧בlevH3820of the sonsבְּֽנֵי־be.nei-H1121of menהָאָדָ֛םha.'a.DamH120among them are givenH4390fullyH4390to doלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla.'a.SotH6213evilרָֽע׃Ra'H7451.

12AlthoughH834a sinnerחֹטֶ֗אcho.Te'H2398doesעֹשֶׂ֥ה'o.SehH6213evilרָ֛עra'H7451a hundredמְאַ֖תme.'AtH3967times and maylengthenוּמַאֲרִ֣יךְu.ma.'a.RikhH748his life,stillכִּ֚י גַּם־ki gam-H3588 H1571I knowיוֹדֵ֣עַyo.De.a'H3045that it will bewellטּוֹב֙tOvH2896for those who fearיִֽירְא֖וּyi.re.'UH3372Godהָאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430,whoH834fearH3372Him openlyמִלְּפָנָֽיו׃mi.le.fa.NavH4480 H6440.

13But it willnot be wellוְטוֹב֙ve.tOvH2896for the evilH7563manH7563and he will not lengthenיַאֲרִ֥יךְya.'a.RikhH748his daysיָמִ֖יםya.MimH3117like ashadowכַּצֵּ֑לka.TzelH6738,becauseאֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.SherH834he does not fearH3372Godאֱלֹהִֽים׃'E.lo.HimH430.

14Thereיֶשׁ־yesh-H3426is futilityהֶבֶל֮he.VelH1892whichH834is doneנַעֲשָׂ֣הna.'a.SahH6213on the earthהָאָרֶץ֒ha.'a.RetzH776,that is, thereיֵ֣שׁyeshH3426arerighteousצַדִּיקִ֗יםtza.di.KimH6662menH6662to whomH834ithappensמַגִּ֤יעַma.Gi.a'H5060according to the deedsכְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣הke.ma.'a.SehH4639of the wickedH7563.On the other hand, thereוְיֵ֣שׁve.YeshH3426areevilH7563menH7563to whomH7945ithappensשֶׁמַּגִּ֥יעַshe.ma.Gi.a'H5060according to the deedsכְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣הke.ma.'a.SehH4639of the righteousהַצַּדִּיקִ֑יםha.tza.di.KimH6662.I sayאָמַ֕רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiH559that thisזֶ֖הzehH2088tooשֶׁגַּם־she.gam-H1571is futilityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

15So I commendedוְשִׁבַּ֤חְתִּֽיve.shi.Bach.tiH7623pleasureהַשִּׂמְחָ֔הha.sim.ChahH8057,for thereH369is nothingH369goodט֤וֹבTovH2896fora manלָֽאָדָם֙la.'a.DamH120underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121exceptכִּ֛י אִם־ki 'im-H3588 H518to eatלֶאֱכ֥וֹלle.'e.KholH398and to drinkוְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹתve.lish.TotH8354and to be merryוְלִשְׂמ֑וֹחַve.lis.Mo.achH8055,and thisוְה֞וּאve.Hu'H1931will standיִלְוֶ֣נּוּyil.Ve.nuH3867by him in histoilsבַעֲמָל֗וֹva.'a.ma.LoH5999throughoutthe daysיְמֵ֥יye.MeiH3117of his lifeH2425whichH834Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430has givenנָֽתַן־na.tan-H5414him underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

16WhenH3512Igaveנָתַ֤תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414my heartלִבִּי֙li.BiH3820to knowלָדַ֣עַתla.Da.'atH3045wisdomחָכְמָ֔הchokh.mahH2451and to seeוְלִרְאוֹת֙ve.lir.'OtH7200the taskהָ֣עִנְיָ֔ןha.'in.YanH6045whichH834has been doneנַעֲשָׂ֖הna.'a.SahH6213on the earthהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776(evenגַ֤םgamH1571thoughכִּ֣יkiH3588oneH369shouldneverH369sleepשֵׁנָ֕ה בְּעֵינָ֖יו רֹאֶֽה׃she.Nah be.'ei.Nav ro.'EhH7200 H8142 H5869dayבַּיּוֹם֙bai.yOmH3117or nightוּבַלַּ֔יְלָהu.va.Lay.lahH3915),

17and I sawוְרָאִיתִי֮ve.ra.'i.TiH7200everyכָּל־kol-H3605workמַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.SehH4639of Godהָאֱלֹהִים֒ha.'E.lo.HimH430, I concluded thatmanהָאָדָ֗םha.'a.DamH120cannotיוּכַ֜לyu.KhalH3201 H3808discoverלִמְצוֹא֙lim.tzO'H4672the workהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ha.ma.'a.SehH4639whichאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834has been doneנַעֲשָׂ֣הna.'a.SahH6213underתַֽחַת־ta.chat-H8478the sunהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121.Even thoughאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherH7945 H834manהָאָדָ֛םha.'a.DamH120should seekלְבַקֵּ֖שׁle.va.KeshH1245laboriouslyיַעֲמֹ֧לya.'a.MolH5998,he will not discoverיִמְצָ֑אyim.Tza'H4672; andthoughאִם־'im-H518the wiseהֶֽחָכָם֙he.cha.KhamH2450manH2450should sayיֹאמַ֤רyo.MarH559, “I knowלָדַ֔עַתla.Da.'atH3045,”he cannotיוּכַ֖לyu.KhalH3201 H3808discoverלִמְצֹֽא׃lim.Tzo'H4672.

Obey Rulers

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8