Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8:

Verses from Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8 of the book of Ecclesiastes of the Bible.

• 1. Who can be compared to the wise? Who has the discernment to interpret all things? A man's wisdom wins the king's favor and softens his stern countenance.
• 2. Here is my advice: honor the king's decrees, for you have sworn an oath before God.
• 3. Do not rush to leave the king's presence and do not get involved in unjust causes, for the king acts according to his will.
• 4. The king's word is sovereign, and no one can question him: “What are you doing?”
• 5. Whoever obeys his orders will not encounter any harm, for the wise heart will understand the time and the appropriate way to act.
• 6. For there is a right time and a right way for every situation, but affliction weighs heavily on the heart of man.
• 7. No one can predict the future; who can say what will happen?
• 8. No one has control over their own spirit; nor can it avoid the day of death or escape the effects of war. Not even evil can free those who practice it.
• 9. Reflecting on everything under the sun, I have seen occasions when a man dominated others to his own misfortune.
• 10. I have seen wicked people buried and people coming and going from the places where they were buried, while those who had done good were forgotten in the city. This also makes no sense.
• 11. When punishment for crimes does not happen immediately, man's heart is filled with plans for evil.
• 12. The wicked can commit a hundred crimes and still live a long life, but I know very well that things will be better for those who fear God, for those who revere him.
• 13. On the other hand, for the wicked, nothing will go well, as they have no reverence for God, and their days will be like shadows, fleeting.
• 14. There is yet another intriguing situation on earth: the righteous receive what the wicked deserve, and the wicked receive what the righteous deserve. That doesn't make sense either, I think.
• 15. Therefore, I recommend that you enjoy life, because under the sun there is nothing better for man than to eat, drink and find joy in his hard work, during all the days that God grants him on earth.
• 16. When I devoted myself to seeking wisdom and observing the activities of men on earth, he whose eyes know no rest day or night,
• 17. I perceived all the works of God. No one is able to fully understand what happens under the sun. No matter how hard he tries to discover the meaning of things, man will not find it. The wise man may even claim to understand, but in reality, he cannot achieve it.