Ecclesiastes 8

1 Who is as the wise? and who knoweth the explanation of things? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.

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 commandment, and [that] on account of the oath of God.

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

3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatever pleaseth him,

Do not be hasty to go out of his presence. Do not persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,

4 because the word of a king is power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

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

5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart knoweth time and manner.

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

6 For to every purpose there is time and manner. For the misery of man is great upon him;

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

7 for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

For he does not know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

8 There is no man who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

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 have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time when man ruleth man to his hurt.

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 And I have also seen the wicked buried and going away; and such as had acted rightly went from [the] holy place, and were forgotten in the city. This also is vanity.

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 children of men is fully set in them to do evil.

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 I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, because they fear before him;

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 prolong [his] days as a shadow, because he feareth not before God.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he does not fear 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; and there are wicked [men] to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

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 And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.

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 upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes),

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 that all [is] the work of God, [and] that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however man may labour to seek [it] out, yet doth he not find [it]; and even, if a wise [man] think to know [it], he shall not be able to find [it] out.

then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he will not find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he will not be able to find it.