Ecclesiastes 8:1-12

¹Who is such as a wise man? and who knoweth the solving, either expounding, of a word? The wisdom of a man shineth in his cheer; and the mightiest shall change his face, (or The wisdom of a person shineth in their face; and maketh even the mightiest to change his expression, or his countenance).

²I keep the mouth of the king, and the commandments and the swearings of God. (I counsel, (or advise), thee to obey the king’s commands, and to keep your oath, (or your pledge), to God.)

³Haste thou not to go away from his face, and dwell thou not in evil work. For he shall do all thing, that he will, (or For he shall do anything, that he desireth);

⁴and his word is full of power, and no man may say to him (or and no one can say to him), Why doest thou so?

⁵He that keepeth the commandment of God, shall not feel anything of evil; the heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.

⁶Time and season is to each work; and much torment is of a man,

⁷for he knoweth not the things passed, and he may not know by any messenger the things to come.

⁸It is not in the power of man to forbid the spirit, that is, his soul, from going out from the body, neither he hath power in the day of death, neither he is suffered to have rest, when the battle nigheth; neither wickedness shall save a wicked man.

⁹I beheld all these things, and I gave mine heart in(to) all works, that be done under the sun. Sometime a man is lord of a man, to his evil.

¹⁰I saw wicked men buried, which, when they lived yet, were in (the) holy place; and they were praised in the city, as men of just works; but also this is vanity. (I saw the wicked buried, which, when they still lived, were in the holy place; and they were praised in the city, as people of righteous works; but this is also empty and futile.)

¹¹Forsooth for the sentence is not brought forth soon against evil men, the sons of men do evils without any dread. (But because the punishment is not brought forth quickly against evil people, the sons and daughters of men do evil without any fear.)

¹²Nevertheless of that, that a sinner doeth evil an hundred times, and is suffered by patience, I knew that good it shall be to men dreading God, that reverence his face, or presence. (Nevertheless, even though a sinner may do evil a hundred times, and is patiently allowed to, I know that it shall be good for those who fear God, yea, for those who have reverence before his face, or in his presence.)