Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 ▼

1 Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

2 I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God.

3 Don’t be hasty to go out of his presence. Don’t persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,

4 for the king’s word is supreme. Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.

6 For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

7 For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

8 There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.