Ecclesiastes 8

1Who is like the sage, and who knows the meaning of the adage:“Wisdom lights up a person’s face,So that deep discontent is dissembled”?

2I do! “Obey the king’s orders—and don’t rush into uttering an oath by God.”

3Leave his presence; do not tarry in a dangerous situation, for he can do anything he pleases;

4inasmuch as a king’s command is authoritative, and none can say to him, “What are you doing?”

5One who obeys orders will not suffer from the dangerous situation.Someone wise, however, will bear in mind that there is a time of doom.

6For there is a time for every experience, including the doom; for calamity overwhelms.

7Indeed, what is to happen is unknown; even when it is on the point of happening, who can tell?

8No one has authority over the lifebreath—to hold back the lifebreath; there is no authority over the day of death. There is no mustering out from that war; wickedness is powerless to save its owner.

9All these things I observed; I noted all that went on under the sun, while people still had authority over others to treat them unjustly.

10And then I saw scoundrels coming from the Holy Site and being brought to burial, while such as had acted righteously were forgotten in the city.And here is another frustration:

11the fact that the sentence imposed for evil deeds is not executed swiftly, which is why people are emboldened to do evil—

12the fact that sinners may do evil a hundred times and their [punishment] still be delayed. For although I am aware that “It will be well with those who revere God since they show reverence,

13and it will not be well with scoundrels, and they will not live long, because they do not revere God”—

14here is a frustration that occurs in the world: sometimes someone upright is requited according to the conduct of the scoundrel; and sometimes the scoundrel is requited according to the conduct of the upright. I say all that is frustration.

15I therefore praised enjoyment. For the only good people can have under the sun is to eat and drink and enjoy themselves. That much can accompany them, in exchange for their wealth, through the days of life that God has granted them under the sun.

16For I have set my mind to learn wisdom and to observe the business that goes on in the world—even to the extent of going without sleep day and night—

17and I have observed all that God brings to pass. Indeed, human beings cannot guess the events that occur under the sun. For humans try strenuously, but fail to guess them; and even if those who are wise should think to discover them they would not be able to guess them.