 |  | Ecclesiastes 8 |  |  |
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Obey Rulers | ||||
 NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 1 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam. | 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. | 1 Who is really wise? Who knows how to explain things? Wisdom makes one's face shine, and it changes one's grim look. | 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. | 1 Who is as the wise? and who knoweth the explanation of things? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed. | 2 I say, "Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God. | 2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. | 2 I [advise] you to obey the king's commands because of the oath you took in God's presence. | 2 I say, "Keep the king's command!" because of the oath to God. | 2 I say, Keep the king's commandment, and that on account of the oath of God. | 3 "Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases." | 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. | 3 Don't be in a hurry to leave the king's service. Don't take part in something evil, because he can do whatever he pleases. | 3 Don't be hasty to go out of his presence. Don't persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him, | 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatever pleaseth him, | 4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, "What are you doing?" | 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? | 4 Since a king's word has such power, no one can ask him what he is doing. | 4 for the king's word is supreme. Who can say to him, "What are you doing?" | 4 because the word of a king is power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou? | 5 He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. | 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. | 5 Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way [to act]. | 5 Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure. | 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart knoweth time and manner. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him. | 6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. | 6 There is a right time and a right way [to act] in every situation. Yet, a terrible human tragedy hangs over people. | 6 For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him. | 6 For to every purpose there is time and manner. For the misery of man is great upon him; | 7 If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? | 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? | 7 They don't know what the future will bring. So who can tell them how things will turn out? | 7 For he doesn't know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be? | 7 for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be? | 8 No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it. | 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. | 8 No one has the power to prevent the spirit of life from leaving. No one has control over the day of his own death. There is no way to avoid the war [against death]. Wickedness will not save wicked people [from dying]. | 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. | 8 There is no man who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. | 9 All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt. | 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. | 9 I have seen all of this, and I have carefully considered all that is done under the sun whenever one person has authority to hurt others. | 9 All this have I 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. | 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time when man ruleth man to his hurt. | 10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility. | 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. | 10 Then I saw wicked people given an [honorable] burial. They used to go in and out of the holy place. They were praised in the city for doing such things. Even this is pointless. | 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. | 10 And I have also seen the wicked buried and going away; and such as had acted rightly went from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city. This also is vanity. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. | 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. | 11 When a sentence against a crime isn't carried out quickly, people are encouraged to commit crimes. | 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. | 11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evil. | 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. | 12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: | 12 A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and yet live a long life. Still, I know with certainty that it will go well for those who fear God, because they fear him. | 12 Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. | 12 Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, because they fear before him; | 13 But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. | 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God. | 13 But it will not go well for the wicked. They will not live any longer. Their lives are like shadows, because they don't fear God. | 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow; because he doesn't fear God. | 13 but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days as a shadow, because he feareth not before God. | 14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. | 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity. | 14 There is something being done on earth that is pointless. Righteous people suffer for what the wicked do, and wicked people get what the righteous deserve. I say that even this is pointless. | 14 There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. | 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; and there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. | 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. | 15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. | 15 So I recommend the enjoyment [of life]. People have nothing better to do under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. This joy will stay with them while they work hard during their brief lives which God has given them under the sun. | 15 Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. | 15 And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 16 When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), | 16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:) | 16 When I carefully considered how to study wisdom and how to look at the work that is done on earth (even going without sleep day and night), | 16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes), | 16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes), | 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, "I know," he cannot discover. | 17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it. | 17 then I saw everything that God has done. No one is able to grasp the work that is done under the sun. However hard a person may search for it, he will not find [its meaning]. Even though a wise person claims to know, he is not able to grasp it. | 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it. | 17 then I saw that all is the work of God, and that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however man may labour to seek it out, yet doth he not find it; and even, if a wise man think to know it, he shall not be able to find it out. |
<< Ecclesiastes 8 >> New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. GOD'S WORD is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. The World English Bible is a 1997 revision of the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible, first published in 1901. It is in the Public Domain. Please feel free to copy and distribute it freely. Thank you to Michael Paul Johnson for making this work available. For the latest information, to report corrections, or for other correspondence, visit www.ebible.org. | ||||