Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 ▼

1 Who [is] as the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of man causes his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

2 I [counsel]: keep the command of a king, even for the sake of an oath [to] God.

3 Do not be troubled at his presence, you may go, do not stand in an evil thing, for all that he pleases he does.

4 Where the word of a king [is] power [is], and who says to him, “What do you do?”

5 Whoever is keeping a command knows no evil thing, and time and judgment the heart of the wise knows.

6 For to every delight there is a time and a judgment, for the misfortune of man is great on him.

7 For he does not know that which will be, for when it will be who declares to him?

8 There is no man ruling over the spirit to restrain the spirit, and there is no authority over the day of death, and there is no discharge in battle, and wickedness does not deliver its possessors.