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.
9 All
this I have
seen, and applied
my mind to
every work that
is done under
the sun. There
is a time
in which one
man has power
over another to
his hurt.
10 So
I saw the
wicked buried.
Indeed they came
also from holiness.
They went and
were forgotten in
the city where
they did this.
This also is
vanity.
11 Because
sentence against
an evil work
is not executed
speedily, therefore
the heart of
the sons of
men is fully
set in them
to do evil.
12 Though
a sinner commits
crimes a hundred
times, and lives
long, yet surely
I know that
it will be
better with those
who fear God, who
are reverent before
him.
13 But
it shall not
be well with
the wicked,
neither shall
he lengthen days
like a shadow,
because he doesn’t
fear God.
14 There
is a vanity
which is done
on the earth, that
there are
righteous men
to whom it happens
according to the
work of the
wicked. Again,
there are wicked
men to whom it
happens according
to the work
of the righteous.
I said that this
also is vanity.
15 Then
I commended mirth,
because a man
has no better
thing under the
sun than to eat,
to drink, and
to be joyful:
for that
will accompany him
in his labor
all the days
of his life
which God has
given him under
the sun.
16 When
I applied my
heart to know
wisdom, and to
see the business
that is done
on the earth (even
though eyes see
no sleep day
or night),
17 then
I saw all
the work of
God, that man
can’t find out
the work that
is done under
the sun, because
however much a
man labors to
seek it out,
yet he won’t find
it. Yes even
though a wise
man thinks he can
comprehend it,
he won’t be able
to find it.