Ecclesiastes 8:7-14

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 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 holy place; and they were praised in the city, as men of just or rightwise works; but also this is vanity.

¹¹Forsooth for the sentence is not brought forth soon against evil men, the sons of men do evils without any dread.

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.

¹³Good be not to the wicked man, neither his days be made long; but pass they as shadow, that dread not the face of the Lord.

¹⁴Also another vanity there is, that is done on earth. Just or rightwise men there be, to whom evils come, as if they did the works of wicked men; and wicked men there be, that be as secure, as if they had done the deeds of just or rightwise men; but I deem also this most vain.