Ecclesiastes 7:29–8:9

²⁹See, this alone I found, that ^xGod made man upright, but ^ythey have sought out many schemes.

Keep the King’s Command

8Who is like the wise?

And who knows the interpretation of a thing?

^zA man’s wisdom makes his face shine,

and ^athe hardness of his face is changed.

²I say:¹ Keep the king’s command, because of ^bGod’s oath to him.^{2 3}Be not hasty to ^cgo from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. ⁴For the word of the king is supreme, and ^dwho may say to him, “What are you doing?” ⁵Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.^{3 6}For there is a time and a way ^efor everything, although man’s trouble⁴ lies heavy on him. ⁷For he ^fdoes not know what is to be, for ^gwho can tell him how it will be? ⁸No man has power to ^hretain the spirit, ⁱor power over the day of death. There is no ^jdischarge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. ^9kAll this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.