Ecclesiastes 8:12
New International Version
Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

New Living Translation
But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.

English Standard Version
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.

Berean Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

King James Bible
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

New King James Version
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.

New American Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will go well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

NASB 1995
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

NASB 1977
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

Legacy Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may prolong his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

Amplified Bible
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his life [seemingly] is prolonged [in spite of his wickedness], still I know that it will be well with those who [reverently] fear God, who fear and worship Him openly [realizing His omnipresence and His power].

Christian Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before Him.

American Standard Version
Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Whoever sins does a hundred evils and prolongs himself, and I know that it will be good for the worshipers of LORD JEHOVAH who will stand in awe before him

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He that has sinned has done evil from that time, and long from beforehand: nevertheless I know, that it is well with them that fear God, that they may fear before him:

Contemporary English Version
They commit hundreds of crimes and live a long time, in spite of the saying: Everyone who lives right and respects God will prosper,

Douay-Rheims Bible
But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and by patience be borne withal, I know from thence that it shall be well with them that fear God, who dread his face.

English Revised Version
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and yet live a long life. Still, I know with certainty that it will go well for those who fear God, because they fear him.

Good News Translation
A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and still live. Oh yes, I know what they say: "If you obey God, everything will be all right,

International Standard Version
Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence.

JPS Tanakh 1917
because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days--though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before Him;

Literal Standard Version
Though a sinner is doing evil one hundred [times], and prolonging [himself] for it, surely also I know that there is good to those fearing God, who fear before Him.

Majority Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

New American Bible
because the sinner does evil a hundred times and survives. Though indeed I know that it shall be well with those who fear God, for their reverence toward him;

NET Bible
Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people--for they stand in fear before him.

New Revised Standard Version
Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him,

New Heart English Bible
Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Though a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it will be well with them that fear God, who fear before him:

World English Bible
Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Young's Literal Translation
Though a sinner is doing evil a hundred times, and prolonging himself for it, surely also I know that there is good to those fearing God, who fear before Him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Fear God
11When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil. 12Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence. 13Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.…

Cross References
Exodus 1:20
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.

Deuteronomy 4:40
Keep His statutes and commandments, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.

Deuteronomy 12:25
Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 12:28
Be careful to obey all these things I command you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God.

Psalm 37:11
But the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant prosperity.

Psalm 128:2
For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Proverbs 1:33
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil."


Treasury of Scripture

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

a sinner

Ecclesiastes 5:16
And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

Ecclesiastes 7:15
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

1 Kings 2:5-9
Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet…

surely

Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

Psalm 37:11,18,19
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace…

Psalm 112:1
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

fear before

Ecclesiastes 3:14
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

1 Chronicles 16:30
Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

Psalm 96:9
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

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Although Better Commits Crimes Evil Fear Fearing Good Hundred Lengthen Openly Prolonged Prolongeth Prolonging Prolongs Reverent Sinner Surely Time Times Wicked
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Ecclesiastes 8
1. true wisdom is modest
2. Kings are to be respected
6. Divine providence is to be observed
12. It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity
16. The work of God is unsearchable














(12) Though.--Better, Because; the first part of this verse being in continuation of the preceding. The latter part of the verse states the faith which the writer holds in spite of apparent contrary experience.

Verse 12. - Though a sinner do evil a hundred times. The sentence begins again, as ver. 11, with asher, followed by a participle; and the conjunction ought to be rendered "because," the statement made in the former verse being resumed and strengthened. The Vulgate has attamen, which our version follows. The Septuagint goes astray, translating, ο{ς ἥμαρτεν, "He that has sinned has done evil from that time." The sinner is here supposed to have transgressed continually without cheek or punishment. The expression, "a hundred times," is used indefinitely, as Proverbs 17:10; Isaiah 65:20. And his days be prolonged; better, prolongeth his days for it; i.e. in the practice of evil, with a kind of contentment and satisfaction, the pronoun being the ethic dative. Contrary to the usual course of temporal retribution, the sinner often lives to old age The Vulgate has, Et per patientiam sustentatur, which signifies that he is kept in life by God's long-suffering. Ginsburg gives, "and is perpetuated," i.e. in his progeny - which is a possible, but not a probable, rendering. Yet surely I know; rather, though I for my part know. He has seen sinners prosper; this experience has been forced upon him; yet he holds an inward conviction that God's moral government will vindicate itself at some time and in some signal manner. It shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. This is not really tautological; it is compared to St. Paul's expression (1 Timothy 5:3), "widows that are widows indeed" (ὄντως), implying that they are, in fact and life, what they profess to be. Delitzsch and Plumptre suggest that in Koheleth's time "God-fearers" had become the name of a religious class, as the Chasidim, or "Assideaus," in I Macc. 2:42; 7:13, etc. Certainly a trace of this so-named party is seen in Psalm 118:4; Malachi 3:16. When this adjustment of anomalies shall take place, whether in this life or in another, the writer says not here. In spite of all contrary appearances, he holds firm to his faith that it will be welt with the righteous in the long run. The comfort and peace of a conscience at rest, and the inward feeling that his life was ordered after God's will, would compensate a good man for much outward trouble; and if to this was added the assured hope of another life, it might indeed be said that it was well with him. The Septuagint has, "that they may fear before him," which implies that the mercy and loving-kindness of God, manifested in his care of the righteous, lead to piety and true religion. Cheyne ('Job and Solomon'), combining this verse with the next, produces a sense which is certainly not in the present Hebrew text, "For I know that it ever happens that a sinner does evil for a long time, and yet lives long, whilst he who fears before God is short-lived as a shadow."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Although
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

a sinner
חֹטֶ֗א (ḥō·ṭe)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

does
עֹשֶׂ֥ה (‘ō·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

evil
רָ֛ע (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

a hundred [times]
מְאַ֖ת (mə·’aṯ)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3967: A hundred

and still lives long,
וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ (ū·ma·’ă·rîḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 748: To be, long

yet
כִּ֚י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I
אָ֔נִי (’ā·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

also
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

know
יוֹדֵ֣עַ (yō·w·ḏê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

it will go
יִהְיֶה־ (yih·yeh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

well
טּוֹב֙ (ṭō·wḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

with those who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

fear
יִֽירְא֖וּ (yî·rə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

God,
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

who are reverent
לְיִרְאֵ֣י (lə·yir·’ê)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

in His presence.
מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃ (mil·lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 8:12 Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
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