Ecclesiastes 7:29–8:9

²⁹Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, ^mbut they pursued many schemes.”

Wisdom, Authorities, and Inequities

8Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed. ⁿ

²Keep ^othe king’s command because of your oath made before God. ^p3Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence, ^qand don’t persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants. ⁴For the king’s word is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?” ^r5The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, ^sand a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. ⁶For every activity there is a right time and procedure, ^teven though man’s troubles are heavy on him. ⁷Yet no one knows what will happen ^ubecause who can tell him what will happen? ⁸No one has authority over the wind ^vto restrain it, ^wand there is no authority over the day of death; ^xthere is no furlough in battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape. ⁹All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm.