Ecclesiastes 8
1 sapientia hominis lucet in vultu eius et potentissimus faciem illius commutavit
Who can compare to the truly wise? Who knows how to interpret things? If you have wisdom your face lights up, and your stern look is softened.
2 ego os regis observo et praecepta iuramenti Dei
My advice is to do what the king says, since that's what you promised God.
3 ne festines recedere a facie eius neque permaneas in opere malo quia omne quod voluerit faciet
Don't be quick to walk out on the king without thinking what you're doing, and don't get involved with those who plot against him, for the king can do what he pleases.
4 et sermo illius potestate plenus est nec dicere ei quisquam potest quare ita facis
The king's orders have supreme authority—who is going to question him, saying, “What are you doing?”
5 qui custodit praeceptum non experietur quicquam mali tempus et responsionem cor sapientis intellegit
Those who follow his commands will not be involved in doing evil. Wise people think, recognizing there's a right time, and a right way.
6 omni negotio tempus est et oportunitas et multa hominis adflictio
For there's a right time and a right way for everything, even when things are going badly for you.
7 quia ignorat praeterita et ventura nullo scire potest nuntio
No one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
8 non est in hominis dicione prohibere spiritum nec habet potestatem in die mortis nec sinitur quiescere ingruente bello neque salvabit impietas impium
No one can hold onto the breath of life; no one can prevent the day when they die. There's no way of escaping that battle, and the wicked won't be saved by their wickedness!
9 omnia haec consideravi et dedi cor meum in cunctis operibus quae fiunt sub sole interdum dominatur homo homini in malum suum
I examined all these things, and thought about all that happens here on earth, and the damage that's caused when people dominate others.
10 vidi impios sepultos qui etiam cum adviverent in loco sancto erant et laudabantur in civitate quasi iustorum operum sed et hoc vanitas est
Yes, I have seen wicked people buried with great honor. They used to go to the holy place, and were praised in the very city where they did their evil. This is hard to understand!
11 etenim quia non profertur cito contra malos sententia absque ullo timore filii hominum perpetrant mala
When people are not punished quickly for their crimes they are even more determined to do wrong.
12 attamen ex eo quod peccator centies facit malum et per patientiam sustentatur ego cognovi quod erit bonum timentibus Deum qui verentur faciem eius
Even though a sinner may do wrong a hundred times, and live a long life, I'm convinced that those who do what God says will be better off.
13 non sit bonum impio nec prolongentur dies eius sed quasi umbra transeant qui non timent faciem Dei
In fact, the wicked will not live long, passing like a shadow, because they refuse to follow God.
14 est et alia vanitas quae fit super terram sunt iusti quibus multa proveniunt quasi opera egerint impiorum et sunt impii qui ita securi sunt quasi iustorum facta habeant sed et hoc vanissimum iudico
Another thing that is hard to understand is this: good people are treated as the wicked should be, and the wicked are treated as good people should be. As I say, this is difficult to comprehend!
15 laudavi igitur laetitiam quod non esset homini bonum sub sole nisi quod comederet et biberet atque gauderet et hoc solum secum auferret de labore suo in diebus vitae quos dedit ei Deus sub sole
So I recommend enjoying life. There's nothing better for us here on earth than to eat and drink and be happy. Such an attitude will go with us as we work, and as we live our lives that God gives us here on earth.
16 et adposui cor meum ut scirem sapientiam et intellegerem distentionem quae versatur in terra est homo qui diebus ac noctibus somnum oculis non capit
When I applied my mind to discovering wisdom and observing everything people do here on earth, I couldn't get any sleep, day or night.
17 et intellexi quod omnium operum Dei nullam possit homo invenire rationem eorum quae fiunt sub sole et quanto plus laboraverit ad quaerendum tanto minus inveniat etiam si dixerit sapiens se nosse non poterit repperire
Then I studied everything God does, and I realized that no one can fully understand what happens here. However, hard they try, however wise they claim to be, they can't really comprehend it.
