Wisdom Brightens the Face
Wisdom counsels caution before a king who does as he pleases. No one controls the wind or the day of death. Delayed sentences embolden evil, and the righteous often get what the wicked deserve. The Teacher commends enjoyment, and admits God's work cannot be found out.
8 1Who is like the wise? Who knows what a thing means? A person's wisdom brightens their face; the hardness of their face is changed.
2Keep the king's command, I say, because of your oath before God.
Navigating the King's Power
3Don't rush to leave his presence, or stand in an evil matter—the king does whatever he pleases. 4For the king's word holds supreme authority, and who can say to him, "What are you doing?" 5Whoever keeps a command knows no harm; a wise heart knows time and way. 6Every matter has its time and way, though one's trouble weighs heavy on him. 7For no one knows what is to come, and who can tell them how it will be? 8No one controls the wind to hold it back, or the day of death. No one is discharged from that war, and evil won't rescue those who practice it. 9I saw all this, giving my heart to every deed done under the sun—a time one person ruled another to their harm.
When Justice Seems Delayed
10Then I saw the wicked buried and laid to rest; they came and went from the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is fleeting. a a v10 The holy place refers to the Jerusalem temple. 11Because sentence for an evil deed is not carried out quickly, people's hearts are fully set on doing evil. 12Though a sinner does evil one hundred times and still lives long, yet I know it will go well for those who fear God, who fear before him. 13The wicked will not fare well, nor lengthen their days like a shadow, since they do not fear God.
14Something fleeting happens on earth: righteous people getting what the wicked deserve, and wicked people getting what the righteous deserve. I said this too is fleeting. 15So I praised enjoyment: nothing is better for a person under the sun than eating, drinking, and being glad. This accompanies them through their labor, the days of life God gave them under the sun.
16When I set my heart to know wisdom and see the work done on earth, though one's eyes see no sleep day or night. 17Then I saw all God's work: no one can find out the work done under the sun. However hard they search, they won't find it; even if the wise claim to know, they can't find it out.
