8:1  Who can we compare to the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.

8:2  I say, "Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.

8:3  "Do not show rashness to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases."

8:4  Since the word of the king has authority, who will say to him, "What do you do?"

8:5  He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.

8:6  For we find a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble rests heavily upon him.

8:7  If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?

8:8   No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and we can find no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.

8:9  All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has taken place under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt.

8:10  So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and people soon forget them in the city where they did thus. This too seems futile.

8:11  Because the judge does not execute a sentence against an evil deed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them incline themselves fully to do evil.

8:12  Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will go well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

8:13  But it will not go well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

8:14   Futility takes place on the earth, namely, righteous men find futility happening according to the deeds of the wicked On the other hand, evil men find futility happening according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too seems futile.

8:15  So I commended pleasure, for there exists nothing better for a man to do under the sun except to eat and to drink and to attain merriment, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

8:16  When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has taken place on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night),

8:17  and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has taken place under the sun Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, "I know," he cannot discover.