Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 ▼

1 Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A person’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

2 Keep the king’s command because of your oath made before God.

3 Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence, and don’t persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants.

4 For the king’s word is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing? ”

5 The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

6 For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though a person’s troubles are heavy on him.

7 Yet no one knows what will happen because who can tell him what will happen?

8 No one has authority over the wind to restrain it, and there is no authority over the day of death; no one is discharged during battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape.