Ecclesiastes 8

The Wise Use of Power

8Who is really wise? Who knows how to interpret this saying: "A person's wisdom improves his appearance, softening a harsh countenance."H2450H3045H6592H1697H120H2451H6440H215H5797H6440H8132

The Wisdom of Pleasing Leaders

2I advise doing what the king says, especially regarding an oath to God.H8104H4428H6310H1700H7621H4303Don't be in a hurry to leave him, and don't persist in evil, for he does whatever he pleases.H926H3212H6440H5975H7451H1697H6213H26544Since a king's command is powerful, who is able to challenge him, asking, "What are you doing?"3H1697H4428H7983H559H62135Whoever obeys his commands will not experience harm, and the wise in heart will discern both the appropriate time and response.H8104H4687H3045H7451H1697H2450H3820H3045H6256H49416Indeed, there is a appropriate time and response for every circumstance, since human misery weighs heavily upon him.H2656H3426H6256H4941H7451H120H72277For he has absolutely no knowledge what will happen, since who can declare to him when it will come about?H3045H50468Just as no human being has control over the wind to restrain it, so also no human being has control over the day of his death. Just as no one is discharged during war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.H120H7989H7307H3607H7307H7983H3117H4194H4917H4421H7562H4422H11679I observed all this, and carefully considered everything that is undertaken on earth, especially the time when someone dominates another to his detriment.H7200H5414H3820H4639H6213H8121H6256H120H7980H745110So I watched the wicked being entombed. They used to come in and out of the holy place, but now they are forgotten in the city, where they used to work. This, too, is pointless.H3651H7200H7563H6912H935H1980H4725H6918H7911H5892H6213H1892

The Wisdom of Fearing God

11Whenever a sentence for a crime is not carried out swiftly, the human mind becomes determined to commit evil.H6599H7451H4639H6213H4120H3820H1121H120H4390H6213H745112Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence.H2398H6213H7451H3967H748H3045H2896H3373H430H3372H644013But things will not go well for the wicked person: he will not lengthen his life like a shadow, since he has no fear before God.H2896H7563H748H3117H6738H3373H6440H430

Fruitless Righteousness, Fruitful Evil

14Here is a pointless thing that happens on earth: A righteous man receives what happens to the wicked, and a wicked man receives what happens to the righteous. I concluded that this, too, is pointless.H3426H1892H6213H776H6662H5060H4639H7563H3426H7563H5060H4639H6662H559H1571H189215So then I recommended enjoyment of life, because it is better on earth for a man to eat, drink, and be happy, since this will stay with him throughout his struggle all the days of his life, which God grants him on earth.814H7623H8057H120H2896H8121H398H8354H8055H3867H5999H3117H2416H430H5414H812116When I dedicated myself to experience wisdom and to observe what is undertaken on earth?even going without sleep day and night?H5414H3820H3045H2451H7200H6045H6213H776H3117H3915H7200H8142H586917I saw all of it as the activity of God. Frankly, a human being cannot understand what happens on earth, because however hard a man works to discover it, he will not find out. Despite what he thinks he knows, he will not be able to figure it out.H7200H4639H430H120H3201H4672H4639H6213H8121H834H7945H120H5998H1245H4672H2450H559H3045H3201H4672