Ecclesiastes 8

1 Who is like the wise man, and who knoweth the explanation of a thing? A man's wisdom brighteneth his countenance, and the harshness 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 counsel thee to 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 in haste to depart from his presence; persist not in an evil thing; for whatever pleaseth him, that he doeth.

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 word of the king is powerful; and who can say to him, “What doest thou?”

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

5 He that keepeth the commandment shall experience no evil; and the heart of the wise man hath regard to time and judgment.

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

6 For to every thing there is a time and judgment. 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 no one knoweth what shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

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

8 No man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no man hath power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war; and wickedness shall not deliver those that are guilty of 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 practise it.

9 All this have I seen, and I have given heed to all things that are done under the sun. There is a time when man ruleth over 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 so I saw the wicked buried, while the righteous came and 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 doth the heart of the sons of men become bold within 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 But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and have his days prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that 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: he shall be like a shadow, and shall not prolong his days, 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 doesn’t fear God.

14 There is a vanity which taketh place upon the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked, and that there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said, “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 Then I commended joy; because nothing is good for a man under the sun, except to eat and to drink and to be joyful; for it is this that abideth with him for his labor during the days of his life which God giveth 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 labour all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business which is done upon the earth, —that one seeth no sleep with his eyes by day or by night, —

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 the whole work of God, that a man cannot comprehend that which is done under the sun; how much soever he labor to search it out, yet shall he not comprehend it; yea, though a wise man resolve to know it, yet shall he not be able to comprehend it.

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 labours 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.