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Ecclesiastes 8:7–8

Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen? None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.

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Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — The New International Version (NIV)

Since no one knows the future,

who can tell someone else what is to come?

As no one has power over the wind to contain it,

so no one has power over the time of their death.

As no one is discharged in time of war,

so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — English Standard Version (ESV)

For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

For he does not know what will happen;

So who can tell him when it will occur?

No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,

And no one has power in the day of death.

There is no release from that war,

And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — New Century Version (NCV)

They do not know what the future holds,

and no one can tell them what will happen.

No one can control the wind

or stop his own death.

No soldier is released in times of war,

and evil does not set free those who do evil.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — American Standard Version (ASV)

for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be? There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be? There is no man who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

They don’t know what the future will bring. So who can tell them how things will turn out? No one has the power to prevent the spiritof 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⸥. 

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Yet no one knows what will happen because who can tell him what will happen? No one has authority over the wind to restrain it, and there is no authority over the day of death; there is no furlough in battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be? No one has power over the wind to restrain the wind, or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle, nor does wickedness deliver those who practice it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Surely no one knows what will be,

so who can tell anyone what will happen?

Just as no one can control the wind to restrain the wind,

so also no one can control the day of his death.

Just as no one is discharged in time of war,

so wickedness will not deliver the wicked.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

No one knows what lies ahead.

So who can tell a person what’s going to happen?

He can’t stop the wind from blowing.

And he doesn’t have the power to decide when he will die.

No one is let out of the army in times of war.

And evil won’t let go of those who practice it.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?

No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.


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