Bible Language

Ecclesiastes 8:16 (NET) New English Translation

1 Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person's wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.
2 Obey the king's command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.
3 Do not rush out of the king's presence in haste— do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases.
4 Surely the king's authority is absolute; no one can say to him, "What are you doing?"
5 Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim.
7 Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.
8 Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it, so no one has power over the day of his death. Just as no one can be discharged during the battle, so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.
9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
10 Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.
11 When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.
12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people— for they stand in fear before him.
13 But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.
14 Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said, "This also is an enigma."
15 So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.
16 When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth— even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night—
17 then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.
1 Who H4310 W-IPRO is as the wise H2450 man ? and who H4310 W-IPRO knoweth H3045 VQPMS the interpretation H6592 of a thing H1697 VQPMS ? a man H120 NMS \'s wisdom H2451 maketh his face H6440 CMP-3MS to shine H215 , and the boldness H5797 of his face H6440 CMP-3MS shall be changed H8132 .
2 I H589 PPRO-1MS counsel thee to keep H8104 the king H4428 NMS \'s commandment H6310 , and that in regard H5921 W-PREP of the oath H7621 of God H430 NAME-4MP .
3 Be not H408 NPAR hasty H926 to go H1980 VQY2MS out of his sight H6440 M-CMP-3MS : stand H5975 not H408 ADV in an evil H7451 AMS thing H1697 B-NMS ; for H3588 CONJ he doeth H6213 VQY3MS whatsoever H3605 NMS pleaseth H2654 VQY3MS him .
4 Where H834 B-RPRO the word H1697 CMS of a king H4428 NMS is , there is power H7983 : and who H4310 W-IPRO may say H559 unto him , What H4100 IGAT doest H6213 VQY2MS thou ?
5 Whoso keepeth H8104 the commandment H4687 shall feel H3045 no H3808 NADV evil H7451 AMS thing H1697 VQPMS : and a wise man H2450 AMS \'s heart H3820 NMS discerneth H3045 both time H6256 and judgment H4941 W-NMS .
6 Because H3588 CONJ to every H3605 L-CMS purpose H2656 there is H3426 PART time H6256 NMS and judgment H4941 W-NMS , therefore H3588 CONJ the misery H7451 CFS of man H120 D-NMS is great H7227 AFS upon H5921 him .
7 For H3588 CONJ he knoweth H3045 VQPMS not H369 that H4100 IPRO which shall be : for H3588 CONJ who H4310 IPRO can tell H5046 VHY3MS him when H834 K-RPRO it shall be H1961 ?
8 There is no H369 NPAR man H120 NMS that hath power H7989 over the spirit H7307 to retain H3607 the spirit H7307 ; neither H369 W-NPAR hath he power H7983 in the day H3117 B-NMS of death H4194 D-NMS : and there is no H369 W-NPAR discharge H4917 in that war H4421 ; neither H3808 W-NPAR shall wickedness H7562 NMS deliver H4422 those that are given H1167 to it .
9 All H3605 NMS this H2088 DPRO have I seen H7200 VQQ1MS , and applied H5414 my heart H3820 NMS-1MS unto every H3605 NMS work H4639 NMS that H834 RPRO is done H6213 under H8478 NMS the sun H8121 : there is a time H6256 NMS wherein H834 RPRO one man H120 D-NMS ruleth over H7980 another H120 to his own hurt H7451 .
10 And so H3651 ADV I saw H7200 VQQ1MS the wicked H7563 AMP buried H6912 , who had come H935 and gone H1980 from the place H4725 of the holy H6918 , and they were forgotten H7911 in the city H5892 BD-NFS where H834 RPRO they had so H3651 ADV done H6213 VQQ3MP : this H2088 DPRO is also H1571 CONJ vanity H1892 .
11 Because H834 RPRO sentence against H6599 an evil H7451 D-AFS work H4639 M-CMS is not H369 NPAR executed H6213 speedily H4120 , therefore H3651 ADV the heart H3820 NMS of the sons H1121 CMP of men H120 D-NMS is fully set H4390 VQQ3MS in them to do H6213 L-VQFC evil H7451 AMS .
12 Though H834 RPRO a sinner H2398 do H6213 VQPMS evil H7451 AMS a hundred times H3967 BFS , and his days be prolonged H748 , yet H3588 CONJ surely H1571 CONJ I H589 PPRO-1MS know H3045 VQPMS that H834 RPRO it shall be H1961 VQY3MS well H2896 with them that fear H3373 God H430 D-EDP , which H834 RPRO fear H3372 before H6440 him :
13 But it shall not H3808 ADV be H1961 VQY3MS well H2896 with the wicked H7563 , neither H3808 ADV shall he prolong H748 his days H3117 NMP , which are as a shadow H6738 KD-NMS ; because H834 RPRO he feareth H3372 not H369 before H6440 ML-CMP God H430 NAME-4MP .
14 There is H3426 ADV a vanity H1892 NMS which H834 RPRO is done H6213 upon H5921 PREP the earth H776 D-GFS ; that H834 RPRO there be H3426 PART just H6662 AMP men , unto whom H834 RPRO it happeneth H5060 according to the work H4639 of the wicked H7563 D-NMP ; again , there be H3426 wicked H7563 D-NMP men , to H413 PREP-3MS whom it happeneth H5060 according to the work H4639 of the righteous H6662 AMP : I said H559 VQQ1MS that this also H2088 DPRO is vanity H1892 .
15 Then I H589 PPRO-1MS commended H7623 mirth H8057 , because H834 RPRO a man H120 LD-NMS hath no H369 ADV better H2896 AMS thing under H8478 NMS the sun H8121 D-NMS , than H518 PART to eat H398 , and to drink H8354 WL-VQFC , and to be merry H8055 : for that H1931 W-PPRO-3MS shall abide H3867 with him of his labor H5999 the days H3117 CMP of his life H2416 , which H834 RPRO God H430 D-EDP giveth H5414 him under H8478 NMS the sun H8121 .
16 When H834 RPRO I applied H5414 VQQ1MS mine heart H3820 NMS-1MS to know H3045 L-VQFC wisdom H2451 NFS , and to see H7200 the business H6045 that H834 RPRO is done H6213 upon H5921 PREP the earth H776 D-GFS : ( CONJ for CONJ also H1571 CONJ there is that neither H369 day H3117 B-AMS nor night H3915 WB-AFS seeth H7200 sleep H8142 with his eyes H5869 B-CMD-3MS : )
17 Then I beheld H7200 all H3605 NMS the work H4639 M-CMS of God H430 D-EDP , that H3588 CONJ a man H120 D-NMS cannot H3808 NADV find out H4672 the work H4639 that H834 RPRO is done H6213 under H8478 the sun H8121 D-NMS : because H7945 though H834 RPRO a man H120 D-NMS labor H5998 to seek it out H1245 , yet he shall not H3808 W-NADV find H4672 VQY3MS it ; yea H1571 W-CONJ further ; though H518 PART a wise H2450 I-AMS man think H559 VQY3MS to know H3045 L-VQFC it , yet shall he not H3808 NADV be able H3201 VQY3MS to find H4672 it .