Ecclesiastes 8

1 The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance, and the most mighty will change his face.

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 boldness of his face shall be changed.

2 I observe the mouth of the king, and the commandments of the oath of God.

I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

3 Be not hasty to depart from his face, and do not continue in an evil work: for he will do all that pleaseth him:

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

4 And his word is full of power: neither can any man say to him: Why dost thou so?

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say to him, What doest thou?

5 He that keepeth the commandments shall find no evil. The heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.

He who keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

6 There is a time and opportunity for every business, and great affliction for man:

Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

7 Because he is ignorant of things past, and things to come he cannot know by any messenger.

For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

8 It is not in man’s power to stop the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, neither is he suffered to rest when war is at hand, neither shall wickedness save the wicked.

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

9 All these things I have considered, and applied my heart to all the works that are done under the sun. Sometimes one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

All this have I seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: there is a time in which one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

10 I saw the wicked buried: who also when they were yet living were in the holy place, and were praised in the city as men of just works: but this also is vanity.

And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

11 For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear.

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 But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and by patience be borne withal, I know from thence that it shall be well with them that fear God, who dread his face.

Though a sinner doeth evil an hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, who fear before him:

13 But let it not be well with the wicked, neither let his days be prolonged, but as a shadow let them pass away that fear not the face of the Lord.

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 also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are just men to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the wicked: and there are wicked men, who are as secure, as though they had the deeds of the just: but this also I judge most vain.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are just men, to 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 Therefore I commended mirth, because there was no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry, and that he should take nothing else with him of his labour in the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing 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 giveth him under the sun.

16 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to understand the distraction that is upon earth: for there are some that day and night take no sleep with their eyes.

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 And I understood that man can find no reason of all those works of God that are done under the sun: and the more he shall labour to seek, so much the less shall he find: yea, though the wise man shall say, that he knoweth it, he shall not be able to find it.

Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man may labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man thinketh to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.