Ecclesiastes 8 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Keep the Command of the King

1 Who ^H4310 is like the wise ^H2450 man ^H2450 and who ^H4310 knows ^H3045 the interpretation ^H6592 of a matter ^H1697? A man’s ^H120 wisdom ^H2451 illumines ^H215 his face ^H6440 and causes his stern ^H5797 face ^H6440 to [fn]beam ^H8132.

2 I say, “Keep ^H8104 the [fn]command ^H6310 of the king ^H4428 because ^H5921 H1697 of the sworn ^H7621 oath ^H7621 [fn]before God ^H430.

3 Do not be in ^H926 a ^H926 hurry ^H926 to go ^H1980 from ^H4480 his presence. Do not stand ^H5975 in an evil ^H7451 matter ^H1697, for he will do ^H6213 whatever ^H3605 H834 he pleases ^H2654.” 4 Since ^H834 the word ^H1697 of the king ^H4428 is powerful ^H7983, who ^H4310 will say ^H559 to him, “What ^H4100 are you doing ^H6213?”

5 He who keeps ^H8104 a royal command ^H4687 experiences ^H3045 no ^H3808 evil ^H7451 thing ^H1697, for a wise ^H2450 heart ^H3820 knows ^H3045 the proper time ^H6256 and custom ^H4941. 6 For there ^H3426 is ^H3426 a proper time ^H6256 and custom ^H4941 for every ^H3605 [fn]matter ^H2656, though ^H3588 a man’s ^H120 trouble ^H7451 is multiplied ^H7227 upon him. 7 If ^H3588 no ^H369 one ^H369 knows ^H3045 what ^H4100 will happen ^H1961, who ^H4310 can tell ^H5046 him when ^H3588 H834 it will happen ^H1961? 8 There ^H369 is ^H369 no ^H369 man ^H120 who has ^H7989 power ^H7989 to restrain ^H3607 the wind ^H7307 with the wind ^H7307, and there ^H369 is ^H369 none ^H369 who has power ^H7983 over the day ^H3117 of death ^H4194; and there ^H369 is ^H369 no ^H369 discharge ^H4917 in the time ^H4421 of ^H4421 war ^H4421, and wickedness ^H7562 will not provide ^H4422 escape ^H4422 to its masters ^H1167. 9 All ^H3605 this ^H2088 I have seen ^H7200 and given ^H5414 my heart ^H3820 to every ^H3605 work ^H4639 that has been done ^H6213 under ^H8478 the sun ^H8121 wherein ^H834 a man ^H120 has ^H7980 power ^H7980 over another man ^H120 to his calamity ^H7451.

10 So ^H3651 then, I have seen ^H7200 the wicked ^H7563 buried ^H6912, those who used to go ^H935 in ^H935 and out from the holy ^H6918 place ^H4725, and they are soon forgotten ^H7911 in the city ^H5892 where ^H834 they did ^H6213 thus ^H3651. This ^H2088 too ^H1571 is vanity ^H1892. 11 Because ^H834 the sentence ^H6599 against an evil ^H7451 work ^H4639 is not executed ^H6213 quickly ^H4120, therefore ^H5921 H3651 the hearts ^H3820 of the sons ^H1121 of men ^H120 among them are given ^H4390 fully ^H4390 to do ^H6213 evil ^H7451. 12 Although ^H834 a sinner ^H2398 does ^H6213 evil ^H7451 a hundred ^H3967 times and may prolong ^H748 his life, still ^H3588 H1571 I know ^H3045 that it will be well ^H2896 for those who fear ^H3372 God ^H430, who ^H834 fear ^H3372 [fn]Him openly ^H4480 H6440. 13 But it will not be well ^H2896 for the wicked ^H7563 man ^H7563, and he will not prolong ^H748 his days ^H3117 like a shadow ^H6738, because ^H834 he does not fear ^H3372 [fn]God ^H430 openly.

14 There ^H3426 is ^H3426 vanity ^H1892 which ^H834 is done ^H6213 on the earth ^H776, that is, there ^H3426 are ^H3426 righteous ^H6662 men ^H6662 to whom ^H834 it [fn]happens ^H5060 according to the works ^H4639 of the wicked ^H7563. On the other hand, there ^H3426 are ^H3426 wicked ^H7563 men ^H7563 to whom ^H7945 it [fn]happens ^H5060 according to the works ^H4639 of the righteous ^H6662. I say ^H559 that this ^H2088 too ^H1571 is vanity ^H1892. 15 So I laud ^H7623 gladness ^H8057, for there ^H369 is ^H369 nothing ^H369 good ^H2896 for a man ^H120 under ^H8478 the sun ^H8121 except ^H3588 H518 to eat ^H398 and to drink ^H8354 and to [fn]be ^H8055 merry ^H8055, and this ^H1931 will join ^H3867 with him in his labor ^H5999 throughout the days ^H3117 of his life ^H2416 which ^H834 God ^H430 has given ^H5414 him under ^H8478 the sun ^H8121.

16 When ^H834 I gave ^H5414 my heart ^H3820 to know ^H3045 wisdom ^H2451 and to see ^H7200 the endeavor ^H6045 which ^H834 has been done ^H6213 on the earth ^H776 (even ^H1571 though ^H3588 one ^H369 never ^H369 sees ^H7200 sleep ^H8142 with his eyes ^H5869 day ^H3117 or night ^H3915), 17 and I saw ^H7200 every ^H3605 work ^H4639 of God ^H430, I concluded that man ^H120 cannot ^H3201 H3808 find ^H4672 out ^H4672 the work ^H4639 which ^H834 has been done ^H6213 under ^H8478 the sun ^H8121. Even though ^H7945 H834 man ^H120 should seek ^H1245 laboriously ^H5998, he will not find ^H4672 it out ^H4672; and though ^H518 the wise ^H2450 man ^H2450 should say ^H559, “I know ^H3045,” he cannot ^H3201 H3808 find ^H4672 it out ^H4672.