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  • Ecclesiastes 8
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Ecclesiastes Outline

      • Under imperfect human rule (1-17)

        • Obey the king’s orders (2-4)

        • Man’s domination harmful (9)

        • When sentence not executed speedily (11)

        • Eat, drink, and rejoice (15)

Ecclesiastes 8:1

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “the interpretation of a matter?”

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w77 517

Ecclesiastes 8:2

Marginal References

  • +Pr 24:21, 22; Ro 13:1; Tit 3:1; 1Pe 2:13
  • +2Sa 5:3

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Awake!,

    4/8/1988, p. 24

  • Publications Index

    g88 4/8 24;

    w80 3/1 27; w77 517; w57 699; w56 89

Ecclesiastes 8:3

Marginal References

  • +Ec 10:4
  • +1Ki 1:5, 7; Pr 20:2

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 16

  • Publications Index

    w06 11/1 16;

    w80 3/1 27; w77 517; w57 699

Ecclesiastes 8:4

Marginal References

  • +1Ki 2:24, 25

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 27; w77 517-518; w57 699

Ecclesiastes 8:5

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “judgment.”

Marginal References

  • +Ro 13:5; 1Pe 3:13
  • +1Sa 24:12, 13; 26:8-10; Ps 37:7

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 27-28; w77 518; w57 699

Ecclesiastes 8:6

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “judgment.”

Marginal References

  • +Ec 3:17

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 27-28; w77 518; g77 2/8 28; w57 699

Ecclesiastes 8:7

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 27-28; w77 518; g77 2/8 28

Ecclesiastes 8:8

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “breath; wind.”

  • *

    Or possibly, “their wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.”

Marginal References

  • +Ps 89:48

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Insight, Volume 1, p. 596

    Insight, Volume 2, p. 1170

    The Watchtower,

    9/15/1987, p. 25

  • Publications Index

    it-1 596; it-2 1170; w87 9/15 25;

    w77 573; ad 431, 1646; im 149; w62 57

Ecclesiastes 8:9

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “injury; detriment.”

Marginal References

  • +Ex 1:13, 14; Mic 7:3

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Enjoy Life Forever!, lesson 31

    Awake!,

    No. 3 2017, p. 6

    The Watchtower,

    1/1/2002, pp. 4-5

  • Publications Index

    lff lesson 31; g17.3 6; w02 1/1 4-5;

    w84 6/15 3-4; w84 11/15 6-7; w78 1/15 13; w78 8/1 8; w77 518; lp 43-44; g77 5/22 3-4; w76 35-36; w74 67; w73 165; g72 10/22 11

Ecclesiastes 8:10

Marginal References

  • +Pr 10:7

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w77 518

Ecclesiastes 8:11

Marginal References

  • +Ps 10:4, 6
  • +1Sa 2:22, 23

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    9/1/2010, p. 4

    True Peace, p. 135

  • Publications Index

    w10 9/1 4; tp 135;

    g82 1/22 19; fl 137-138; w77 573-574; w74 293; w72 263-264; g65 2/8 11; w63 261; g63 3/8 4; w62 491; w54 422; w53 345

Ecclesiastes 8:12

Marginal References

  • +Ps 34:9; 103:13; 112:1; Isa 3:10; 2Pe 2:9

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    2/15/1997, pp. 17-18

  • Publications Index

    w97 2/15 17-18;

    w77 80; w77 573-574; w65 21; yb65 32; w57 702; w54 422

Ecclesiastes 8:13

Marginal References

  • +Ps 37:10; Isa 57:21
  • +Job 24:24

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    2/15/1997, pp. 17-18

  • Publications Index

    w97 2/15 17-18;

    w77 80; w77 573-574; g63 3/8 4; w57 702; w54 422

Ecclesiastes 8:14

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “frustrating.”

Marginal References

  • +Ec 7:15
  • +Ps 37:7; 73:12

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w77 574; w54 422

Ecclesiastes 8:15

Marginal References

  • +Ps 100:2
  • +Ec 2:24; 3:12, 13

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Enjoy Life Forever!, lesson 44

    The Watchtower,

    10/1/1996, p. 14

  • Publications Index

    lff lesson 44; w96 10/1 14;

    g79 8/22 5-6; w78 12/15 9; g78 4/22 27; w77 574; w57 692

Ecclesiastes 8:16

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “occupation.”

  • *

    Or possibly, “that people do not see sleep either by day or by night.”

Marginal References

  • +Ec 1:13; 7:25

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 16

  • Publications Index

    w06 11/1 16;

    w79 3/1 4; w77 574-575

Ecclesiastes 8:17

Marginal References

  • +Ec 3:11; Ro 11:33
  • +Job 28:12; Ec 7:24; 11:5

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 16

  • Publications Index

    w06 11/1 16;

    w79 3/1 4; w77 574-575; w57 698

Parallel Translations

Click a verse number to display parallel Bible verses.

General

Eccl. 8:2Pr 24:21, 22; Ro 13:1; Tit 3:1; 1Pe 2:13
Eccl. 8:22Sa 5:3
Eccl. 8:3Ec 10:4
Eccl. 8:31Ki 1:5, 7; Pr 20:2
Eccl. 8:41Ki 2:24, 25
Eccl. 8:5Ro 13:5; 1Pe 3:13
Eccl. 8:51Sa 24:12, 13; 26:8-10; Ps 37:7
Eccl. 8:6Ec 3:17
Eccl. 8:8Ps 89:48
Eccl. 8:9Ex 1:13, 14; Mic 7:3
Eccl. 8:10Pr 10:7
Eccl. 8:11Ps 10:4, 6
Eccl. 8:111Sa 2:22, 23
Eccl. 8:12Ps 34:9; 103:13; 112:1; Isa 3:10; 2Pe 2:9
Eccl. 8:13Ps 37:10; Isa 57:21
Eccl. 8:13Job 24:24
Eccl. 8:14Ec 7:15
Eccl. 8:14Ps 37:7; 73:12
Eccl. 8:15Ps 100:2
Eccl. 8:15Ec 2:24; 3:12, 13
Eccl. 8:16Ec 1:13; 7:25
Eccl. 8:17Ec 3:11; Ro 11:33
Eccl. 8:17Job 28:12; Ec 7:24; 11:5
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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17

Ecclesiastes

8 Who is like the wise man? Who knows the solution to a problem?* A man’s wisdom lights up his face and softens his stern appearance.

2 I say: “Obey the king’s orders+ out of regard for the oath to God.+ 3 Do not rush to depart from his presence.+ Do not take a stand for anything bad;+ for he can do whatever he pleases, 4 because the word of the king is absolute;+ who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’”

5 The one who observes the commandment will not experience harm,+ and the wise heart will know the right time and procedure.*+ 6 For every matter there is a time and procedure,*+ because the troubles of mankind are so abundant. 7 Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him how it will happen?

8 Just as no man has power over the spirit* or can restrain the spirit, so no one has power over the day of death.+ Just as no one is discharged during a war, so wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape.*

9 All of this I have seen, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, during the time that man has dominated man to his harm.*+ 10 And I saw the wicked being buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place, but they were soon forgotten in the city where they acted that way.+ This too is futility.

11 Because sentence against a bad deed has not been executed speedily,+ the heart of men becomes emboldened to do bad.+ 12 Although a sinner may do bad a hundred times and still live a long time, yet I am aware that it will turn out well for those who fear the true God, because they fear him.+ 13 But it will not turn out well for the wicked one,+ nor will he prolong his days that are like a shadow,+ because he does not fear God.

14 There is something futile* that takes place on the earth: There are righteous people who are treated as if they had acted wickedly,+ and there are wicked people who are treated as if they had acted righteously.+ I say that this too is futility.

15 So I recommended rejoicing,+ because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat and drink and rejoice; this should accompany him as he works hard during the days of his life,+ which the true God gives him under the sun.

16 I applied my heart to acquire wisdom and to see all the activity* happening on the earth,+ even going without sleep day and night.* 17 Then I considered all the work of the true God, and I realized that mankind cannot comprehend what happens under the sun.+ No matter how hard men try, they cannot comprehend it. Even if they claim that they are wise enough to know, they cannot really comprehend it.+

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