Ecclesiastes 8

Obey Rulers

1WhoH4310 is like the wiseH2450 manH2450 and whoH4310 knowsH3045 the interpretationH6592 of a matterH1697? A man’sH120 wisdomH2451 1illuminesH215 2him and causes his 3sternH5797 faceH6440 to 4beamH8132.

2I say, “KeepH8104 the 5commandH6310 of the kingH4428 becauseH5921H1697 of the 6oathH7621 7before GodH430. 3Do not be in a hurryH926 89to leaveH1980H4480 him. Do not joinH5975 in an evilH7451 matterH1697, for he will doH6213 whateverH3605H834 he pleasesH2654.” 4SinceH834 the wordH1697 of the kingH4428 is authoritativeH7983, 10whoH4310 will sayH559 to him, “WhatH4100 are you doingH6213?”

5He who 11keepsH8104 a royal commandH4687 12experiencesH3045 noH3808 13troubleH1697H7451, for a wiseH2450 heartH3820 knowsH3045 the proper timeH6256 and procedureH4941. 6For 14thereH3426 is a proper timeH6256 and procedureH4941 for everyH3605 delightH2656, thoughH3588 a man’sH120 troubleH7463 is heavyH7227 upon him. 7IfH3588 noH369 oneH369 15knowsH3045 whatH4100 will happenH1961, whoH4310 can tellH5046 him whenH3588H3512 it will happenH1961? 816NoH369 manH120 hasH7989 authorityH7989 to restrainH3607 the windH7307 with the windH7307, or authorityH7983 over the dayH3117 of deathH4194; and thereH369 is noH369 dischargeH4917 in the timeH4421 of warH4421, and 17evilH7562 will not deliverH4422 18those whoH1167 practiceH1167 it. 9AllH3605 thisH2088 I have seenH7200 and appliedH5414 my 19mindH3820 to everyH3605 deedH4639 that has been doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121 whereinH834 a manH120 has exercisedH7980 20authorityH7980 over another manH120 to his hurtH7451.

10SoH3651 then, I have seenH7200 the wickedH7563 buriedH6912, those who used to goH935 in and out from the holyH6918 placeH4725, and they are 21soon forgottenH7911 in the cityH5892 whereH834 they didH6213 thusH3651. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892. 11BecauseH834 the 22sentenceH6599 against an evilH7451 deedH4639 is not executedH6213 quicklyH4120, thereforeH5921H3651 23the heartsH3820 of the sonsH1121 of menH120 among them are givenH4390 fullyH4390 to doH6213 evilH7451. 12AlthoughH834 a sinnerH2398 doesH6213 evilH7451 a hundredH3967 times and may 24lengthenH748 his life, stillH3588H1571 I knowH3045 that it will be 25wellH2896 for those who fearH3372 GodH430, whoH834 fearH3372 26Him openlyH4480H6440. 13But it will 27not be wellH2896 for the evilH7563 manH7563 and he will not lengthenH748 his daysH3117 like a 28shadowH6738, becauseH834 he does not fearH3372 GodH430.

14ThereH3426 is futilityH1892 whichH834 is doneH6213 on the earthH776, that is, thereH3426 are 29righteousH6662 menH6662 to whomH834 it 30happensH5060 according to the deedsH4639 of the wickedH7563. On the other hand, thereH3426 are 31evilH7563 menH7563 to whomH7945 it 32happensH5060 according to the deedsH4639 of the righteousH6662. I sayH559 that thisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892. 15So I commendedH7623 pleasureH8057, for thereH369 is nothingH369 goodH2896 for 33a manH120 underH8478 the sunH8121 exceptH3588H518 to eatH398 and to drinkH8354 and to be merryH8055, and thisH1931 will standH3867 by him in his 34toilsH5999 throughout the daysH3117 of his lifeH2425 whichH834 GodH430 has givenH5414 him underH8478 the sunH8121.

16WhenH3512 I 35gaveH5414 my heartH3820 to knowH3045 wisdomH2451 and to seeH7200 the taskH6045 whichH834 has been doneH6213 on the earthH776 (evenH1571 thoughH3588 oneH369 should 3637neverH369 sleepH7200H8142H5869 dayH3117 or nightH3915), 17and I sawH7200 everyH3605 workH4639 of GodH430, I concluded that 38manH120 cannotH3201H3808 discoverH4672 the workH4639 whichH834 has been doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121. Even thoughH7945H834 manH120 should seekH1245 laboriouslyH5998, he will not discoverH4672; and 39thoughH518 the wiseH2450 manH2450 should sayH559, “I knowH3045,” he cannotH3201H3808 discoverH4672.