Ecclesiastes 3:16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment--wickedness was there, in the place of justice--wickedness was there.

◄ Ecclesiastes 3:16 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment--wickedness was there, in the place of justice--wickedness was there.

English Standard Version
Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.

New American Standard Bible
Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

King James Bible
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.

International Standard Version
I also examined on earth: where the halls of justice were supposed to be, there was lawlessness; and where the righteous were supposed to be, there was lawlessness.

American Standard Version
And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.

Darby Bible Translation
And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.

Young's Literal Translation
And again, I have seen under the sun the place of judgment -- there is the wicked; and the place of righteousness -- there is the wicked.

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 4:1
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

Ecclesiastes 5:8
If you see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regards; and there be higher than they.

Ecclesiastes 8:9
All this have I seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man rules over another to his own hurt.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

3:16-22 Without the fear of the Lord, man is but vanity; set that aside, and judges will not use their power well. And there is another Judge that stands before the door. With God there is a time for the redressing of grievances, though as yet we see it not. Solomon seems to express his wish that men might perceive, that by choosing this world as their portion, they brought themselves to a level with the beasts, without being free, as they are, from present vexations and a future account. Both return to the dust from whence they were taken. What little reason have we to be proud of our bodies, or bodily accomplishments! But as none can fully comprehend, so few consider properly, the difference between the rational soul of man, and the spirit or life of the beast. The spirit of man goes upward, to be judged, and is then fixed in an unchangeable state of happiness or misery. It is as certain that the spirit of the beast goes downward to the earth; it perishes at death. Surely their case is lamentable, the height of whose hopes and wishes is, that they may die like beasts. Let our inquiry be, how an eternity of existence may be to us an eternity of enjoyment? To answer this, is the grand design of revelation. Jesus is revealed as the Son of God, and the Hope of sinners.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

16. Here a difficulty is suggested. If God "requires" events to move in their perpetual cycle, why are the wicked allowed to deal unrighteously in the place where injustice ought least of all to be; namely, "the place of judgment" (Jer 12:1)?