Ecclesiastes 8.2-9

1. Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

2. I counsel thee, Keep the king's command, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3. Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4. For the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5. Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment: 6. for to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him: 7. for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be? 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it. 9. All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.

10. So I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity. 11. 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. (Ecclesiastes 8:1-11, ASV)

1. 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 say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God. 3. 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 king’s word is supreme. Who can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5. Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure. 6. For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him. 7. For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be? 8. 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 practice it. 9. 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. 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 the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:1-11, WEB)

1. Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. ^{the boldness: Heb. the strength}

2. I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5. Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. ^{shall: Heb. shall know} 6. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 7. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? ^{when: or, how it shall be?} 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. ^{discharge: or, casting off weapons} 9. All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

10. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. 11. 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. (Ecclesiastes 8:1-11, KJV)

1. Who [is] as the wise? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of man causeth his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

2. I pray thee, the commandment of a king keep, even for the sake of the oath of God. 3. Be not troubled at his presence, thou mayest go, stand not in an evil thing, for all that he pleaseth he doth. 4. Where the word of a king [is] power [is], and who saith to him, 'What dost thou?' 5. Whoso is keeping a command knoweth no evil thing, and time and judgment the heart of the wise knoweth. 6. For to every delight there is a time and a judgment, for the misfortune of man is great upon him. 7. For he knoweth not that which shall be, for when it shall be who declareth to him? 8. There is no man ruling over the spirit to restrain the spirit, and there is no authority over the day of death, and there is no discharge in battle, and wickedness delivereth not its possessors. 9. All this I have seen so as to give my heart to every work that hath been done under the sun; a time that man hath ruled over man to his own evil.

10. And so I have seen the wicked buried, and they went in, even from the Holy Place they go, and they are forgotten in the city whether they had so done. This also [is] vanity. 11. Because sentence hath not been done [on] an evil work speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of man is full within them to do evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:1-11, YLT)