Revised Literal Translation
Ecclesiastes 8:5
5Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.1
Ecclesiastes 8:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,
Context of Ecclesiastes 8:5
3Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment. 6Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 7For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
Read all of Ecclesiastes 8Ecclesiastes 8:5 word by word
שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃Read the interlinear
- Whoso keepethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- the commandmentמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- shall feelיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- no evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- and a wise man’sחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
- heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- both timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- and judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:5
- Ecclesiastes 5:2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
- Exodus 1:17But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
- Psalms 119:6Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
- Hosea 5:11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.
- Luke 20:25And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
- Acts 4:19But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
- Acts 5:29Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
- Romans 13:5Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
- 1 Peter 3:13And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
- Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
- Ecclesiastes 10:2A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
- 1 Chronicles 12:32And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
- Proverbs 17:24Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
- Luke 12:56Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
- 1 Corinthians 2:14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- Philippians 1:9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Both time and judgment - It is a matter of great importance to be able to discern When and How both to speak and act; but when time and manner are both determined, the matter comes next. What shall I speak? What shall I do? When, how, and what answer to time, manner, and knitter. To discern all these, and act suitably, is a lesson for a philosopher, and a study for a Christian.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Feel - literally, know. The meaning is, “He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecclesiastes 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the king‘s commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in God‘s time and by God‘s judgment.” Compare Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:17.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. feel--experience. time--the neglect of the right "times" causes much of the sinful folly of the spiritually unwise (Ec 3:1-11). judgment--the right manner [Holden]. But as God's future "judgment" is connected with the "time for every purpose" in Ec 3:17, so it is here. The punishment of persisting sinners (Ec 8:3) suggests it. The wise man realizes the fact, that as there is a fit "time" for every purpose, so for the "judgment." This thought cheers him…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:5
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Ecclesiastes 8:5 shall…: Heb. shall know. ↩
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries