Ecclesiastes 8:1-13 ▼

1 Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person’s wisdom illuminates his face and makes his stern face brighten up.

2 I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.

3 Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.”

4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 One who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.

6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him.

7 If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?

8 No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and evil will not save those who practice it.

9 All this I have seen, and have applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised authority over another person to his detriment.

10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility.

11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of mankind among them are fully given to do evil.

12 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.

13 But it will not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.