Ecclesiastes 7:29–8:9

²⁹This is all that I have learnt: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.

8Only the wise know what things really mean. Wisdom makes them smile and makes their frowns disappear.

Obey the King

²Do what the king says,^h and don’t make any rash promises to God. ³The king can do anything he likes, so depart from his presence; don’t stay in such a dangerous place. ⁴The king acts with authority, and no one can challenge what he does. ⁵As long as you obey his commands, you are safe, and a wise person knows how and when to do it. ⁶There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little! ⁷None of us knows what is going to happen, and there is no one to tell us. ⁸No one can keep from dying or put off the day of death. That is a battle we cannot escape; we cannot cheat our way out.

The Wicked and the Righteous

⁹I saw all this when I thought about the things that are done in this world, a world where some people have power and others have to suffer under them.