²I ⸤advise⸥ you to obey the king’s commands because of the oath you took in God’s presence. ³Don’t be in a hurry to leave the king’s service. Don’t take part in something evil, because he can do whatever he pleases. ⁴Since a king’s word has such power, no one can ask him what he is doing. ⁵Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way ⸤to act⸥. ⁶There is a right time and a right way ⸤to act⸥ in every situation. Yet, a terrible human tragedy hangs over people.

⁷They don’t know what the future will bring. So who can tell them how things will turn out? ⁸No one has the power to prevent the spirit^aof life from leaving. No one has control over the day of his own death. There is no way to avoid the war ⸤against death⸥. Wickedness will not save wicked people ⸤from dying⸥.

Life Is Unfair

⁹I have seen all of this, and I have carefully considered all that is done under the sun whenever one person has authority to hurt others.

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Footnotes

a 8:8 Or “breath.”