“1 Who [is] as the wise [man]? and who knoweth the interpretation of a
thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his
face shall be changed. 2 I [counsel thee] to keep the king’s
commandment, and [that] in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to
go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever
pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king [is, there is] power: and who
may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall
feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and
judgment.”
“6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the
misery of man [is] great upon him. 7 For he knoweth not that which shall
be: for who can tell him when it shall be? 8 [There is] no man that hath
power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither [hath he] power in
the day of death: and [there is] no discharge in [that] war; neither
shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”
“9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is
done under the sun: [there is] a time wherein one man ruleth over
another to his own hurt. 10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come
and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city
where they had so done: this [is] also vanity. 11 Because sentence
against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of
the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner do
evil an hundred times, and his [days] be prolonged, yet surely I know
that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13
But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong [his]
days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.”
“14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just
[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 I 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
I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is
done upon the earth: (for also [there is that] neither day nor night
seeth sleep with his eyes:) 17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a
man 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].” (Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 AV)