Ecclesiastes 8

Obey Rulers

1WhoH4310 is like the wiseH2450 personH2450 and whoH4310 knowsH3045 the meaningH6592 of a matterH1697? A person’sH120 wisdomH2451 1illuminatesH215 his faceH6440 and makes his 2sternH5797 faceH6440 3brightenH8132 upH8132.

2I say, “KeepH8104 the 4commandH6310 of the kingH4428 becauseH5921H1697 of the 5oathH7621 6before GodH430. 3Do not beH926 inH926 aH926 hurryH926 78to leaveH1980H4480 him. Do not joinH5975 in an evilH7451 matterH1697, for he will doH6213 whateverH3605H834 he pleasesH2654.” 4SinceH834 the wordH1697 of the kingH4428 is authoritativeH7983, 9whoH4310 will sayH559 to him, “WhatH4100 are you doingH6213?”

5One who 10keepsH8104 a royal commandH4687 11experiencesH3045 noH3808 12troubleH1697H7451, for a wiseH2450 heartH3820 knowsH3045 the proper timeH6256 and procedureH4941. 6For 13thereH3426 isH3426 a proper timeH6256 and procedureH4941 for everyH3605 delightH2656, thoughH3588 a person’sH120 troubleH7463 is heavyH7227 upon him. 7IfH3588 noH369 oneH369 14knowsH3045 whatH4100 will happenH1961, whoH4310 can tellH5046 him whenH3588H3512 it will happenH1961? 815NoH369 oneH120 hasH7989 authorityH7989 over the windH7307 to restrainH3607 the windH7307, norH369 authorityH7983 over the dayH3117 of deathH4194; and thereH369 isH369 noH369 military dischargeH4917 in the timeH4421 ofH4421 warH4421, and 16evilH7562 will not saveH4422 17thoseH1167 whoH1167 practiceH1167 it. 9AllH3605 thisH2088 I have seenH7200, and have appliedH5414 my 18mindH3820 to everyH3605 deedH4639 that has been doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121 at a timeH6256 whenH834 one personH120 has exercisedH7980 19authorityH7980 over another personH120 to his detrimentH7451.

10SoH3651 then, I have seenH7200 the wickedH7563 buriedH6912, those who used to goH935 inH935 and out of the holyH6918 placeH4725, and they are 20soon forgottenH7911 in the cityH5892 whereH834 they didH6213 suchH3651 thingsH3651. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892. 11BecauseH834 the 21sentenceH6599 against an evilH7451 deedH4639 is not executedH6213 quicklyH4120, thereforeH5921H3651 22the heartsH3820 of the sonsH1121 of mankindH120 among them are 23fullyH4390 givenH4390 to doH6213 evilH7451. 12AlthoughH834 a sinnerH2398 doesH6213 evilH7451 a hundredH3967 times and may 24lengthenH748 his life, stillH3588H1571 I knowH3045 that it will goH1961 25wellH2896 for those who fearH3372 GodH430, whoH834 fearH3372 26Him openlyH4480H6440. 13But it will 27not goH1961 wellH2896 for the evilH7563 personH7563 and he will not lengthenH748 his daysH3117 like a 28shadowH6738, becauseH834 he does not fearH3372 GodH430.

14ThereH3426 isH3426 futilityH1892 whichH834 is doneH6213 on the earthH776, that is, thereH3426 areH3426 29righteousH6662 peopleH6662 to whomH834 it 30happensH5060 according to the deedsH4639 of the wickedH7563. On the other hand, thereH3426 areH3426 31evilH7563 peopleH7563 to whomH7945 it 32happensH5060 according to the deedsH4639 of the righteousH6662. I sayH559 that thisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892. 15So I commendedH7623 pleasureH8057, for thereH369 isH369 nothingH369 goodH2896 for 33a personH120 underH8478 the sunH8121 exceptH3588H518 to eatH398, drinkH8354, and beH8055 joyfulH8055, and thisH1931 will standH3867 by him in his laborH5999 throughout the daysH3117 of his lifeH2425 whichH834 GodH430 has givenH5414 him underH8478 the sunH8121.

16WhenH3512 I 34devotedH5414 my 35mindH3820 to knowH3045 wisdomH2451 and to seeH7200 the businessH6045 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 38oneH120 cannotH3201H3808 discoverH4672 the workH4639 whichH834 has been doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121. Even thoughH7945H834 a personH120 laboriouslyH5998 seeksH1245, he will not discoverH4672; and 39evenH1571 ifH518 the wiseH2450 personH2450 claimsH559 to knowH3045, he cannotH3201H3808 discoverH4672.