Ecc 8:1-9 | ESV | STEP | Who is like the wise ? And who knows the interpretation of a thing ? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine , and the hardness of his face is changed .

Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

Keep the King’s Command

1 Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
^aA man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
and ^bthe hardness of his face is changed.
2 I say: ^{▼▼Hebrew lacks say} Keep the king’s command, because of ^dGod’s oath to him. ^{▼▼Or because of your oath to God} 3 Be not hasty to ^fgo from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and ^gwho may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. 6 For there is a time and a way ^hfor everything, although man’s trouble ^{▼▼Or evil} lies heavy on him. 7 For he ^jdoes not know what is to be, for ^kwho can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to ^lretain the spirit, ^mor power over the day of death. There is no ⁿdischarge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 ^oAll this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.