Ecclesiastes
Chapter
8
1
Who is as the wise man?
And
who knows the meaning of the adage:
'A
man's wisdom lights up his face . . .
so
that his deep discontent is dissembled?'
2 I do!
"Obey
the king's orders . . .
and
don't rush into uttering an oath by God."
3-4 Leave his presence.
Do not delay/tarry in a dangerous situation.
For
he can do anything he pleases . . . 4
inasmuch
as a king's command is authoritative,
and
none can say to him, "What are you doing?"
5
One who obeys orders
will
not suffer from the dangerous situation.
A wise man, however, will bear in mind that there is a time of doom.
6
For there is a time for every experience . . . including the doom .
. .
for
a man's calamity overwhelms him.
7
Indeed, he does not know what is to happen . . .
even
when it is on the point of happening . . .
who
can tell him?
8
No man has authority over the life-breath . . .
to
hold back the life-breath.
There is no authority over the day of death.
There is no mustering out from that war.
Wickedness is powerless to save its owner.
9 All these things I observed.
I
noted all that went on under the sun,
while
men still had authority over men to treat them unjustly.
10
And then I saw scoundrels coming from the Holy Site
and
being brought to burial,
while
such as had acted righteously
were
forgotten in the city.
And here is another frustration/meaninglessness.
11
The fact that the sentence imposed for evil deeds
is
not executed swiftly,
which
is why men are emboldened to do evil.
12-13
The fact that a sinner may do evil a hundred times
and
his {punishment} still be delayed.
For
although I am aware that
"It
will be well with those who revere God since they revere Him, 13
and
it will not be well with the scoundrel,
and
he will not live long,
because
he does not revere God."
14 Here is a frustration/meaninglessness that occurs in the world.
Sometimes
an upright man is requited
according
to the conduct of the scoundrel.
And
sometimes the scoundrel is requited
according
to the conduct of the upright.
I say all that is frustration/meaninglessness.
15 I therefore praised enjoyment.
For
the only good a man can have under the sun
is
to eat and drink and enjoy himself.
That
much can accompany him,
in
exchange for his wealth,
through
the days of life
that
God has granted him under the sun.
16
For I have set my mind to learn wisdom
and
to observe the business that goes on in the world . . .
even
to the extent of going without sleep day and night.
17 And, I have observed all that God brings to pass.
Indeed, man cannot guess the events that occur under the sun.
For man tries strenuously, but fails to guess them.
And
even if a sage should think to discover them,
he
would not be able to guess them.
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