Ecclesiastes 8:10–17

¹⁰So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are ^asoon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is vanity.

¹¹Because the ^asentence against an evil work is not executed quickly, therefore ^bthe hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.

¹²Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may ^aprolong his life, still I know that it will be ^bwell for those who fear God, who fear ¹Him openly.

¹³But it will ^anot be well for the wicked man, and he will not prolong his days like a ^bshadow, because he does not fear ¹God openly.

¹⁴There is vanity which is done on the earth, that is, there are ^arighteous men to whom it ¹happens according to the works of the wicked. On the other hand, there are ^bwicked men to whom it ²happens according to the works of the righteous. I say that this too is vanity.

¹⁵So I laud gladness, for there is nothing good for ^aa man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to ¹be merry, and this will join with him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

¹⁶When I ^agave my heart to know wisdom and to see the endeavor which has been done on the earth (even though one ^bnever sees sleep with his eyes day or night),

¹⁷and I saw every work of God, I concluded that ^aman cannot find out the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not find it out; and ^bthough the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot find it out.