(KJV) Ecclesiastes 81

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⥃Obey the King

[1] Who [is] as the2 wise [man]? and who knoweth3 the interpretation of a thing? a man’s4 wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the5 boldness6 of his face shall be changed. [2] I [counsel7 thee] to keep the king’s commandment, and [that] in regard8 of the oath of God. [3] Be not hasty9 to go out of his sight: stand10 not in an evil thing; for11 he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. [4] Where the word12 of a king [is], [there is] power: and who may say unto him, What13 doest thou? [5] Whoso keepeth14 the commandment shall feel15 no evil thing: and a wise16 man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

[6] Because to every17 purpose there is time and judgment, therefore18 the misery of man [is] great upon him. [7] For he knoweth19 not that which shall be: for who can tell him when20 it shall be? [8] [There is] no21 man that hath power22 over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither [hath he] power in the day of death: and [there is] no discharge23 in [that] war; neither24 shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. [9] All this25 have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: [there is26] a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

⥃Fear God [ Isaiah 8:11–15 ]

[10] And so27 I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place28 of the holy, and they were29 forgotten in the city where they had so done: this [is] also vanity. [11] Because sentence30 against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully31 set in them to do evil.

[12] [¶]Though a sinner32 do evil an hundred times, and his [days] be prolonged, yet surely33 I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before34 him: [13] But it shall35 not be well with the wicked, neither36 shall he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a37 shadow; because he feareth not before God.

⥃God’s Ways Are Mysterious

[14] There is a vanity38 which is done upon the earth; that there be just39 [men], unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked [men], to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also [is] vanity. [15] Then I40 commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

[16] [¶]When I41 applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also [there is that42] neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:) [17] Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man43 cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek [it] out, yet he shall not find [it]; yea further; though a wise [man] think to know [it], yet shall he not be able to find [it].

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  1. Eccl 8:1, True wisdom is modest; Eccl 8:2, Kings are to be respected; Eccl 8:6, Divine providence is to be observed; Eccl 8:12, It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity; Eccl 8:16, The work of God is unsearchable. ↩

  2. Eccl 2:13-14; 1Cor 2:13-16 ↩

  3. Gen 40:8, Gen 41:15-16, Gen 41:38-39; Job 33:23; Prov 1:6; Dan 2:28-30, Dan 2:47, Dan 4:18-19; 2Pet 1:20 ↩

  4. Exod 34:29-30; Prov 4:8-9, Prov 17:24, Prov 24:5; Matt 17:2; Acts 6:15 ↩

  5. Deut 28:50; Acts 4:13, Acts 4:29; Eph 6:19 ↩

  6. Heb. strength, 2Tim 4:17 ↩

  7. Prov 24:21; Rom 13:1-4; Titus 3:1; 1Pet 2:13-17 ↩

  8. 1Kgs 2:43; 1Chr 29:24; Ezek 17:13-20; Rom 13:5 ↩

  9. Eccl 10:4; Prov 14:29 ↩

  10. 1Kgs 1:50-52, 1Kgs 2:21-24; Isa 48:4; Jer 44:16-17; Acts 5:8-9 ↩

  11. Prov 16:14-15, Prov 30:31; Dan 4:35, Dan 5:19 ↩

  12. 1Kgs 2:25, 1Kgs 2:29-34, 1Kgs 2:46; Prov 19:12, Prov 20:2, Prov 30:31; Dan 3:15; Luke 12:4-5; Rom 13:1-4 ↩

  13. Job 33:12-13, Job 34:18-19; Rom 9:20 ↩

  14. Eccl 8:2; Exod 1:17, Exod 1:20-21; Ps 119:6; Hos 5:11; Luke 20:25; Acts 4:19, Acts 5:29; Rom 13:5-7; 1Pet 3:13-14 ↩

  15. Heb. know ↩

  16. Eccl 2:14, Eccl 10:2; 1Chr 12:32; Prov 17:24; Luke 12:56-57; 1Cor 2:14-15; Phil 1:9-10; Col 1:9; Heb 5:14 ↩

  17. Eccl 3:1, Eccl 3:11, Eccl 3:17, Eccl 7:13-14 ↩

  18. Eccl 11:9-10, Eccl 12:1; Isa 3:11-14, Isa 22:12-14; Luke 13:25, Luke 17:26-30, Luke 19:42-44; Heb 3:7-11 ↩

  19. Eccl 6:12, Eccl 9:12, Eccl 10:14; Prov 24:22, Prov 29:1; Matt 24:44, Matt 24:50, Matt 25:6-13; 1Thess 5:1-3 ↩

  20. or, how ↩

  21. Eccl 3:21; 2Sam 14:14; Job 14:5, Job 34:14; Ps 49:6-9, Ps 89:48; Heb 9:27 ↩

  22. 1Cor 15:43; 2Cor 13:4 ↩

  23. or, casting off weapons, Deut 20:1-8; 2Kgs 7:15 ↩

  24. Ps 9:17, Ps 52:5-7, Ps 73:18-28; Prov 14:32; Isa 28:15, Isa 28:18 ↩

  25. Eccl 1:14, Eccl 3:10, Eccl 4:7-8, Eccl 7:25 ↩

  26. Eccl 5:8, Eccl 5:13; Exod 14:5-9, Exod 14:28; Deut 2:30; 2Kgs 14:10-12, 2Kgs 25:7 ↩

  27. 2Kgs 9:34-35; Job 21:18, Job 21:32-33; Luke 16:22 ↩

  28. Ps 122:1-5; Acts 6:13 ↩

  29. Eccl 2:16, Eccl 9:5; Ps 31:12; Prov 10:7; Jer 17:13; Heb 10:38 ↩

  30. Exod 8:15, Exod 8:32; Job 21:11-15; Ps 10:6, Ps 50:21-22; Isa 5:18-19, Isa 26:10; Isa 57:11; Jer 48:11; Matt 24:49-50; Rom 2:4-5; 2Pet 3:3-10 ↩

  31. Jer 42:15 ↩

  32. Eccl 5:16, Eccl 7:15; 1Kgs 2:5-9, 1Kgs 21:25, 1Kgs 22:34-35; Prov 13:21; Isa 65:20; Rom 2:5; Rom 9:22; 2Pet 2:9 ↩

  33. Eccl 7:18; Ps 37:11, Ps 37:18-19, Ps 112:1, Ps 115:13; Prov 1:32-33; Isa 3:10-11; Isa 65:13-14, Isa 65:20-24; Matt 25:34, Matt 25:41-46; Luke 1:50 ↩

  34. Eccl 3:14; 1Chr 16:30; Ps 96:9 ↩

  35. Job 18:5, Job 20:5, Job 21:30; Ps 11:5; Isa 57:21; Mal 3:18; Matt 13:49-50; John 5:29 ↩

  36. Ps 55:23; Isa 30:13; 2Pet 2:3 ↩

  37. Eccl 6:12; Job 7:6-7, Job 14:2; Ps 39:5, Ps 144:4; Jas 4:14 ↩

  38. Eccl 4:4, Eccl 4:8, Eccl 9:3, Eccl 10:5 ↩

  39. Eccl 2:14, Eccl 7:15, Eccl 9:1-3; Job 9:22-24, Job 21:17-34, Job 24:21-25; Ps 73:13-14; Mal 3:15 ↩

  40. Some consider this as the cavil of an infidel objector, equivalent to the Epicurean maxim, Ede, bibe, lude; post mortem nulla voluptas, "Eat, drink, and play; there is no pleasure after death." But it may be regarded as a recommendation of a moderate use of worldly things, with a cheerful and contented mind; which may justly be considered as the greatest advantage which can be made of all below the sun, and amidst all changes, such a frame of mind, if the result of right principles, may and ought to be preserved; and it will be the recompence and solace of all our labours and toils. Eccl 2:24, Eccl 3:12-13, Eccl 3:22, Eccl 5:18, Eccl 9:7-9; 1Tim 4:3-4, 1Tim 6:17 ↩

  41. Solomon here records the result of his perplexing inquiries into the affairs of men, and the purposes, providence, and works of God. And when he examined with great attention and diligence into the works of God, he found he could neither comprehend nor explain them; and was persuaded, that no application or capacity would enable a man to fathom the depth of the Divine dispensations in this lower world. How vain, then, are all cavils against Divine providence; when we can neither understand, nor comprehend it! Eccl 8:9, Eccl 8:7 Eccl 7:25 ↩

  42. Eccl 2:23, Eccl 4:8, Eccl 5:12; Gen 31:40; Ps 127:2 ↩

  43. Eccl 3:11, Eccl 7:23-24, Eccl 11:5; Job 5:9, Job 11:7-9; Ps 40:5, Ps 73:16, Ps 104:24; Prov 30:3-4; Isa 40:28; Rom 11:33 ↩