Ecclesiastes 8:1

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1 Who is like a wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
^aA man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
And ^bthe sternness of his face is changed.

Obey Authorities for God’s Sake

2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment ^afor the sake of your oath to God.

3 ^aDo 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 ^awho may say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man’s heart¹ discerns both time and judgment,

6 Because ^afor every matter there is a time and judgment,
Though the misery of man¹ increases greatly.

7 ^aFor he does not know what will happen;
So who can tell him when it will occur?

8 ^aNo one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,
And no one has power in the day of death.
There is ^bno release from that war,
And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.

9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.

Death Comes to All

10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were ^aforgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.

Commentaries:

John Wesley's Notes

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Ecclesiastes 8:2 >>

Ecclesiastes 8:1

Who is wise - There are few wise men in this world. Who knoweth - How few understand the reasons of things and can rightly expound the word and works of God. Wisdom - Makes a man venerable, chearful, mild, and amiable. The face is put for the mind, because the mind discovers itself in the countenance. Boldness - The roughness or fierceness. Changed - Into gentleness and humility.

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Ecclesiastes 8:2 >>

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