Ecclesiastes 8

1 Who [like the truly wise] is like the wise [skilled, prudent] man? Who [knows the solution] knows the interpretation [solution to a problem] of a matter [thing, affair]? A man’s [Adam’s, human] wisdom [skill, prudence, good judgment] brightens [lights up, gives light to] his face [presence, countenance], and the sternness [hardness, boldness] of his face [presence] is changed [altered, made different]. word study 2 Keep [obey, heed, attend to] the king’s [royal, sovereign] command [law, decree, word], I say [counsel, advise], because of [in regard to, out of respect for] your oath [promise, vow] before [in the presence of] God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. word study 3 Do not [hastily, without thinking] hasten to leave his [royal, sovereign] presence, and do not persist [continue] in a [morally, naturally] bad cause, for he will do [accomplish, bring about] whatever [he delights in, is pleased with] he pleases. word study 4 For the king’s [royal, sovereign] word [command, decree] is supreme [having ultimate power, authority], and who [what person, no one] can say to him, “What [why, how] are you doing [accomplishing, commanding]?” word study 5 Whoever [obeys, guards] keeps his command will come to [know, experience, feel] no [moral or natural] harm, and a wise [intelligent, skilled, discerning] heart [mind, spirit, inner being] knows [discerns, understands, perceives] the right [appropriate, suitable] time [occasion, season, moment] and procedure [judgment, justice, decision]. word study 6 For [because of this reason] there is a right [proper, suitable] time [season, occasion] and procedure [judgment, decision] to every [all, each] purpose [delight, pleasure], though [because, since] a man’s [the man, Adam, humanity] misery [sorrow, affliction] weighs [is great, is heavy] heavily [greatly, abundantly] upon [on, above] him. word study 7 Since no one [has knowledge or understanding] knows what [or how] will happen, who [is able to, can anyone] can tell him what [or when it] is to come [to be, to exist]? word study 8 As no man [human being, mortal] has power [authority, control] over the wind [a blast of air] to contain [restrain, hold back] it, so no one has authority [dominion, rule] over his day [time, appointed hour] of death [mortal end, final breath]. As no one can be discharged [released, set free] in wartime [battle, conflict], so wickedness [evil, immorality] will not release [deliver, save] those who practice [engage in, commit] it. word study 9 All this [everything, every aspect] I have seen [observed, considered], applying my mind [heart, intellect] to every deed [action, work] that is done [made, performed] under the sun [in this world, during life]; there is a time [season, occasion] when one man [person, individual] lords it over [dominates, rules] another to his own [personal, ultimate] detriment [harm, evil]. word study 10 Then too, I saw the burial [interment, laying to rest] of the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] who used to go in and out of the holy [set apart, sacred] place, and they were praised [honored, commended] in the city [town, community] where they had done so [committed evil deeds]. This too [also, likewise] is futile [vanity, emptiness, a breath of air]. word study 11 When the sentence [judgment, verdict] for a crime [evil work, wrongdoing] is not speedily [quickly, without delay] executed, the hearts [inner beings, minds] of men [sons of men, humanity] become fully set [completely determined, wholly inclined] on doing [committing, practicing] evil [wrong, wickedness]. word study 12 Although a sinner [one who misses the mark, rebels against God] does evil [bad, morally wrong] a hundred [many, numerous] times and still lives long [prolongs his days, has a long life], yet I also know [am certain, have confidence] that it will go well [be pleasant, bring welfare] with those who fear [revere, stand in awe of] God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], who are reverent [show respect, have a deep regard] in His presence [before His face, in His sight]. word study 13 Yet because the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] do not fear [revere, have awe for] God [Elohim, the supreme Judge], it will not go well [be pleasant, beneficial] with them, and their days [periods of life, time on earth] will not lengthen [be prolonged, extended] like a shadow [a dark area, fleeting presence]. word study 14 There is a futility [vanity, emptiness] that is done on the earth [land, world]: There are righteous [just, morally upright] men who get what the actions [deeds, works] of the wicked [morally wrong, sinful] deserve, and there are wicked [evil, unrighteous] men who get what the actions [deeds, works] of the righteous [just, godly] deserve. I say that this too [also, as well] is futile [without meaning, unsatisfactory]. word study 15 So I commended [praised, highly valued] the enjoyment of life [mirth, joy], because there is nothing [no thing, not anything] better for a man [human being, Adam] under the sun [in this earthly life] than to eat [consume food, devour] and drink [imbibe, take in] and be merry [rejoice, be joyful]. For this joy [happiness, gladness] will accompany him in his labor [work, toil, trouble] during the days of his life [time on earth, mortal existence] that God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] gives him under the sun [in this earthly life]. word study 16 When I applied my mind [gave my heart, devoted myself] to know [ascertain by seeing, learn] wisdom [skill, prudence, good judgment] and to observe [see, behold] the task [business, responsibility] that one performs on the earth [land, world]—though his eyes [the eyes of man] do not see [are not closed in] sleep [rest, slumber] in the day [a literal 24-hour period] or even in the night [a period of darkness, adversity]— word study 17 I saw [beheld, observed] every work [deed, action] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], and that a man [human, mortal] is unable [lacks the power] to comprehend [fully understand, grasp] the work [task, labor] that is done [accomplished, performed] under the sun [in this life, on earth]. Despite his efforts [labor, toil] to search [seek, investigate] it out, he cannot find [discover, attain] its meaning [purpose, significance]; even if the wise [intelligent, discerning] man claims [thinks, believes] to know [have knowledge, understanding], he is unable [lacks the ability] to comprehend [fully grasp, understand]. word study