Ecclesiastes 8 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Obey Rulers

8 Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person’s wisdom (A)illuminates his face and makes his (B)stern face [a]brighten up.

2 I say, “Keep the [b]command of the king because of the (C)oath [c]before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry [d](D)to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” 4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, (E)who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 One who (F)keeps a royal command (G)experiences no [e]trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For (H)there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him. 7 If no one (I)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8 (J)No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and (K)evil will not save [f]those who practice it. 9 All this I have seen, and have applied my [g]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised (L)authority over another person to his detriment.

10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they are (M)soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility. 11 Because the (N)sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore (O)the hearts of the sons of mankind among them are [h]fully given to do evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may (P)lengthen his life, still I know that it will go (Q)well for those who fear God, who fear [i]Him openly. 13 But it will (R)not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a (S)shadow, because he does not fear God.

14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are (T)righteous people to whom it [j]happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are (U)evil people to whom it [k]happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for (V)a person under the sun except to eat, drink, and be joyful, and this will stand by him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16 When I (W)devoted my [l]mind to know wisdom and to see the business which has been done on the earth (even though one should [m](X)never sleep day or night), 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that (Y)one cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though a person laboriously seeks, he will not discover; and (Z)even if the wise person claims to know, he cannot discover.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:1 Or change
  2. Ecclesiastes 8:2 Lit mouth
  3. Ecclesiastes 8:2 Lit of
  4. Ecclesiastes 8:3 Lit to go out from his presence
  5. Ecclesiastes 8:5 Lit evil thing
  6. Ecclesiastes 8:8 Lit its possessors
  7. Ecclesiastes 8:9 Lit heart
  8. Ecclesiastes 8:11 Lit full to do
  9. Ecclesiastes 8:12 Lit before Him
  10. Ecclesiastes 8:14 Lit strikes
  11. Ecclesiastes 8:14 Lit strikes
  12. Ecclesiastes 8:16 Lit heart
  13. Ecclesiastes 8:16 Lit see no sleep in his eyes

Cross references

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:1 : Ex 34:29, 30
  2. Ecclesiastes 8:1 : Deut 28:50
  3. Ecclesiastes 8:2 : Ex 22:11; 2 Sam 21:7; Ezek 17:18
  4. Ecclesiastes 8:3 : Eccl 10:4
  5. Ecclesiastes 8:4 : Job 9:12; Dan 4:35
  6. Ecclesiastes 8:5 : Eccl 12:13
  7. Ecclesiastes 8:5 : Prov 12:21
  8. Ecclesiastes 8:6 : Eccl 3:1, 17
  9. Ecclesiastes 8:7 : Eccl 3:22; 6:12; 7:14; 9:12
  10. Ecclesiastes 8:8 : Ps 49:7
  11. Ecclesiastes 8:8 : Eccl 8:13
  12. Ecclesiastes 8:9 : Eccl 4:1; 5:8; 7:7
  13. Ecclesiastes 8:10 : Eccl 1:11; 2:16; 9:5, 15
  14. Ecclesiastes 8:11 : Ex 34:6; Ps 86:15; Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9
  15. Ecclesiastes 8:11 : Eccl 9:3
  16. Ecclesiastes 8:12 : Eccl 7:15
  17. Ecclesiastes 8:12 : Deut 4:40; 12:25; Ps 37:11; Prov 1:33; Is 3:10
  18. Ecclesiastes 8:13 : Eccl 8:8; Is 3:11
  19. Ecclesiastes 8:13 : Job 14:2; Eccl 6:12
  20. Ecclesiastes 8:14 : Ps 73:14; Eccl 7:15
  21. Ecclesiastes 8:14 : Job 21:7; Ps 73:3, 12; Jer 12:1; Mal 3:15
  22. Ecclesiastes 8:15 : Eccl 2:24; 3:12, 13; 5:18; 9:7
  23. Ecclesiastes 8:16 : Eccl 1:13, 14
  24. Ecclesiastes 8:16 : Eccl 2:23
  25. Ecclesiastes 8:17 : Eccl 3:11
  26. Ecclesiastes 8:17 : Ps 73:16; Eccl 7:23; Rom 11:33

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8 Who is such as a wise man? and who knoweth the solving, either expounding, of a word? The wisdom of a man shineth in his cheer; and the mightiest shall change his face (The wisdom of a person shineth in their face; and maketh even the mightiest to change his expression, or his countenance). 2 I ke...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - World English Bible (WEB)

8 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 ...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Ecclesiastes 8 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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Ecclesiastes 8 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Obey the King and Enjoy Yourself8 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 countenance is changed. 2 Keep[a] the king’s command, and because of your sacred oath be not dismayed; 3 go from his presence, do not d...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Obey the King and Enjoy Yourself8 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 countenance is changed. 2 Keep[a] the king’s command, and because of your sacred oath be not dismayed; 3 go from his presence, do not d...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Obey the King and Enjoy Yourself8 Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing?Wisdom makes one’s face shine, and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed. 2 Keep[a] the king’s command because of your sacred oath. 3 Do not be terrified; go from his presence, do not dela...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Obey the King and Enjoy Yourself8 Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing?Being wise makes one’s face shine, but arrogance changes one’s face.(A)2 Keep[a] the king’s command, and because of your sacred oath(B)3 do not be terrified; go from his presence; do not delay whe...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - New Living Translation (NLT)

8 How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things.Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness. Obedience to the King2 Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. 3 Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whate...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - New Life Version (NLV)

8 Who is like the wise man? And who understands the meaning of anything? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine. The hard look on his face is changed. Obey the King2 I say, “Obey the words of the king because of the promise you made to God. 3 Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in wrong-doi...
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Obey Authorities for God’s Sake8 Who is like a wise man?And who knows the interpretation of a thing?(A)A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,And (B)the [a]sternness of his face is changed. Obey Authorities for God’s Sake2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment (C)for the sake of your oath to God. 3 (D)D...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

8 Who is like the wise? Who knows the explanation of things?A person’s wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance. Obey the king2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad caus...
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Ecclesiastes 8 - New International Version (NIV)

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Ecclesiastes 8 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

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Ecclesiastes 8 - New English Translation (NET)

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