1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Ecclesiastes 8
1 Kings are greatly to be respected. 6 The divine providence is to be observed. 12 It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity. 16 The work of God is unsearchable.
8:1
Who 4310 is like the wise 2450 man 2450 and who 4310 knows 3045 the interpretation 6592 of a matter 1697? A man’s 120 wisdom 2451 illumines 215 him and causes his stern 5797 face 6440 to beam 8132.
8:2
¶ I say, “Keep 8104 the command 6310 of the king 4428 because 5921 1697 of the oath 7621 before God 430.
8:3
“Do not be in a hurry 926 to leave 1980 4480 him. Do not join 5975 in an evil 7451a matter 1697, for he will do 6213a whatever 3605 834 he pleases 2654a.”
8:4
Since 834 the word 1697 of the king 4428 is authoritative 7983, who 4310 will say 559 to him, “What 4100 are you doing 6213a?”
8:5
¶ He who keeps 8104 a [royal] command 4687 experiences 3045 no 3808 trouble 1697 7451a, for a wise 2450 heart 3820 knows 3045 the proper time 6256 and procedure 4941.
8:6
For there 3426 is a proper time 6256 and procedure 4941 for every 3605 delight 2656, though 3588 a man’s 120 trouble 7463a is heavy 7227a upon him.
8:7
If 3588 no 369 one 369 knows 3045 what 4100 will happen 1961, who 4310 can tell 5046 him when 3588 3512c it will happen 1961?
8:8
No 369 man 120 has 7989 authority 7989 to restrain 3607 the wind 7307 with the wind 7307, or authority 7983 over the day 3117 of death 4194; and there 369 is no 369 discharge 4917 in the time 4421 of war 4421, and evil 7562 will not deliver 4422 those who 1167 practice 1167 it.
8:9
All 3605 this 2088 I have seen 7200 and applied 5414 my mind 3820 to every 3605 deed 4639 that has been done 6213a under 8478 the sun 8121 wherein 834 a man 120 has exercised 7980 authority 7980 over [another] man 120 to his hurt 7451b.
8:10
¶ So 3651 then, I have seen 7200 the wicked 7563 buried 6912, those who used to go 935 in and out from the holy 6918 place 4725, and they are [soon] forgotten 7911 in the city 5892b where 834 they did 6213a thus 3651. This 2088 too 1571 is futility 1892.
8:11
Because 834 the sentence 6599 against an evil 7451a deed 4639 is not executed 6213a quickly 4120, therefore 5921 3651 the hearts 3820 of the sons 1121 of men 120 among them are given 4390 fully 4390 to do 6213a evil 7451a.
8:12
Although 834 a sinner 2398 does 6213a evil 7451a a hundred 3967 [times] and may lengthen 748 his [life], still 3588 1571 I know 3045 that it will be well 2896a for those who fear 3372a God 430, who 834 fear 3372a Him openly 4480 6440.
8:13
But it will not be well 2896a for the evil 7563 man 7563 and he will not lengthen 748 his days 3117 like a shadow 6738, because 834 he does not fear 3372a God 430.
8:14
¶ There 3426 is futility 1892 which 834 is done 6213a on the earth 776, that is, there 3426 are righteous 6662 men 6662 to whom 834 it happens 5060 according to the deeds 4639 of the wicked 7563. On the other hand, there 3426 are evil 7563 men 7563 to whom 7945 it happens 5060 according to the deeds 4639 of the righteous 6662. I say 559 that this 2088 too 1571 is futility 1892.
8:15
So I commended 7623b pleasure 8057, for there 369 is nothing 369 good 2896a for a man 120 under 8478 the sun 8121 except 3588 518 to eat 398 and to drink 8354 and to be merry 8055, and this 1931 will stand 3867a by him in his toils 5999 [throughout] the days 3117 of his life 2425b which 834 God 430 has given 5414 him under 8478 the sun 8121.
8:16
¶ When 3512c I gave 5414 my heart 3820 to know 3045 wisdom 2451 and to see 7200 the task 6045 which 834 has been done 6213a on the earth 776 (even 1571 though 3588 one 369 should never 369 sleep 7200 8142 5869 day 3117 or night 3915),
8:17
and I saw 7200 every 3605 work 4639 of God 430, [I concluded] that man 120 cannot 3201 3808 discover 4672 the work 4639 which 834 has been done 6213a under 8478 the sun 8121. Even though 7945 834 man 120 should seek 1245 laboriously 5998, he will not discover 4672; and though 518 the wise 2450 man 2450 should say 559, “I know 3045,” he cannot 3201 3808 discover 4672.
