Ecclesiastes 8:2–6
2 Keep the command of the kinga
⌊because of your oath to God⌋.b
3 Do not be terrified of his presence!
Go at once and do not delay when a matter is unpleasant,
for he can do anything that he desires.
4 Since the word of the king is supreme,
no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 Whoever obeys his command will not suffer disaster.
The wise mind knows the proper time and the right procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and right procedure for every matter,
even though the trouble of man weighs heavy upon him.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — The New International Version (NIV)
2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm,
and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,
though a person may be weighed down by misery.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — English Standard Version (ESV)
2 I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. 3 Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. 6 For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
2 I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — New Living Translation (NLT)
2 Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. 3 Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. 4 His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. 5 Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right, 6 for there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God. 3 Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power;
And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,
6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment,
Though the misery of man increases greatly.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — New Century Version (NCV)
2 Obey the king’s command, because you made a promise to God. 3 Don’t be too quick to leave the king. Don’t support something that is wrong, because the king does whatever he pleases. 4 What the king says is law; no one tells him what to do.
5 Whoever obeys the king’s command will be safe.
A wise person does the right thing at the right time.
6 There is a right time and a right way for everything,
yet people often have many troubles.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — American Standard Version (ASV)
2 I counsel thee, Keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 For the king’s word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment: 6 for to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him:
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
2 I say, Keep the king’s commandment, and that on account of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatever pleaseth him, 4 because the word of a king is power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart knoweth time and manner.
6 For to every purpose there is time and manner. For the misery of man is great upon him;
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
2 I ⸤advise⸥ you to obey the king’s commands because of the oath you took in God’s presence. 3 Don’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. 4 Since a king’s word has such power, no one can ask him what he is doing. 5 Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way ⸤to act⸥. 6 There is a right time and a right way ⸤to act⸥ in every situation. Yet, a terrible human tragedy hangs over people.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
2 Keep the king’s command because of your oath made before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence, and don’t persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants. 4 For the king’s word is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. 6 For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though man’s troubles are heavy on him.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
2 Keep the king’s command because of your sacred oath. 3 Do not be terrified; go from his presence, do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is powerful, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way. 6 For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
2 I’m telling you to obey the king’s command. You took an oath to serve him. You made a promise to God. 3 Don’t be in a hurry to quit your job in the palace. Don’t stand up for something the king doesn’t like. He’ll do anything he wants to. 4 He has the final word. So who can ask him, “What are you doing?”
5 No one who obeys his command will be harmed.
Those who are wise will know the proper time and way to approach him.
6 There’s a proper time and way for people to do everything.
That’s true even though a man might be suffering greatly.
Ecclesiastes 8:2–6 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
2 I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.
3 “Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.”
4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him.