Ecclesiastes 8

1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.2 I counsel thee, Keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God.3 Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.4 For the king’s word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment:6 for to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him:7 for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.10 So I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: 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 do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him:13 but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes),17 then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

Ecclesiastes 8

Human Government Demonstrates Limitations of Wisdom

1 Who ist at wise person? Who knows the solutiont to a problem?t
A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance,t and softensst his harsh countenance.t

2 Obey the king’s command,s
because you tookt an oath before Godt to be loyal to him.t

3 Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste – do not delay when the matter is unpleasant,t
for he can do whatever he pleases.

4 Surely the king’s authorityt is absolute;t
no one can sayt to him, “What are you doing?”

5 Whoever obeys hist command will not experience harm,
and a wise persont knows the proper timet and procedure.

6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,
for the oppressiont of the kingt is severe upon his victim.t

7 Surely no one knows the future,t
and no one can tell another person what will happen.t

8 Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it,t
so no one has power over the day of hist death.
Just as no one can be discharged during the battle,t
so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.t

9 While applyingt my mindt to everythingt that happens in this world,t I have seen all this:
Sometimes one persont dominatest other peoplet to their harm.t

Contradictions to the Law of Retribution

10 Not only that,t but I have seen the wicked approachings and entering the temple,t
and as they left the holy temple,t they
boasteds in the city that they had done so.
This also is an enigma.t

11 Whent a sentencet is not executedt at once against a crime,t
the human heartt is encouraged to do evil.t

12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimest and still live a long time,t
yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing peoplet – for they stand in feart before him.

13 But it will not go well with the wicked,
nor will theyt prolong theirt days like a shadow,t
because theyt do not stand in feart before God.

14 Here ist anothert enigmat that occurs on earth:
Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve,t
and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve.t
I said, “This also is an enigma.”

Enjoy Life In Spite of Its Injustices

15 So I recommend the enjoyment of life,t
for there is nothing better on eartht for a person to dot exceptt to eat, drink, and enjoys life.t
Sot joyt will accompany him in his toil
during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.t

Limitations of Human Wisdom

16 When I triedt to gaint wisdom
and to observe the activityt on earth –
even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or nightt –

17 then I discerned all that God has done:t
No one really comprehends what happenst on earth.t
Despite all humant efforts to discover it, no one can ever graspt it.t
Even ift a wise person claimedt that he understood,
he would not really comprehendt it.t