Ecclesiastes 8
1DOTH anyone know wise men? Doth anyone know the solution of a matter? Wisdom will make his countenance shine; but one of an unblushing countenance will be hated.
2Watch the mouth of a king, and in regard to the oath of God be not impatient.
3From his presence thou mayst withdraw. Stay not when he giveth wicked orders; for he will do what he pleaseth,
4as a king is absolute; and who can say to him, What dost thou?
5He who keepeth a command will not acknowledge it to be—a wicked order; but a wise man’s heart knoweth the time of judgment, that—there is a time and a judgment for everything.
6Because the man’s determination may be much against him—
7because none knoweth what may happen, who can tell him what may come to pass?
8No man is absolute commander over wind to stop the current of it, and over the day of death he hath no authority; nor is there a discharge in the day of battle; nor can wickedness save him who is under its sway.
9Having taken a view of this as a whole, I applied my heart to every work which is done under the sun—to all those things in which man exerciseth authority over man to his hurt.
10And I then saw wicked men carried to their graves, even out of this holy place; and when they were gone, they were praised in the city, because they had done as they did. Surely this is vanity.
11Because those who do evil are not speedily called to an account, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12He who sinned continued thenceforward to do evil, even because of the forbearance shewn to them. Now as I know that it is good for them who fear God, that they should be awed by His presence;
13and that it cannot be well with the wicked; and that he who is not awed by the presence of God cannot prolong his days at ease;
14this which is practised on earth is vanity. Because there are righteous men on whom cometh as it were the work of the wicked; and because there are wicked men on whom cometh, as it were, the work of the righteous, I said that this is also surely vanity;
15and I praised pleasurable enjoyment, because there is nothing good for men under the sun---nothing save eating and drinking and being made glad; and this one may have conjoined with his labour all the days of his life which God giveth him under the sun.
16In all those things to which I applied my heart to know wisdom and to take a view of the business which is done on the earth; because day and night this is never at rest,
17therefore I took a view of all the works of God in classes; for man is incapable of finding out the whole system of things under the sun. Let a man labour ever so much in the search he cannot find it out; and let a wise man say ever so much of knowing, he cannot find it; for this cause I laid this whole system before my heart, and my heart took a view of it.