Ecc 8:10-17 | ESV | STEP | Then I saw the wicked buried . They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things . This also is vanity .

Ecclesiastes 8:10-17

Those Who Fear God Will Do Well

10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of ^athe holy place and were ^bpraised ^{▼▼Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts forgotten} in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. ^{▼▼The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also twice in verse 14 (see note on 1:2)} 11 Because ^ethe sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, ^fthe heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and ^gprolongs his life, yet I know that ^hit will be well with ⁱthose who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will ^jnot be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like ^ka shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Man Cannot Know God’s Ways

14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people ^lto whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people ^mto whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend joy, for man ⁿhas nothing better under the sun but to ^oeat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see ^pthe business that is done on earth, how neither ^qday nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that ^rman cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, ^she cannot find it out.