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Ecclesiastes

Questions the meaning of life and the value of worldly pursuits, concluding that fearing God is important.

Chapter 8

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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.

*Who is like a wise person? And who understands the meaning of things? A person's wisdom makes their face glow, and their confident expression changes.

2 I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

*I advise you to follow the king's orders and do so while remembering God's promise.

3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

*Don't rush away from his presence; avoid doing wrong things, because he does whatever he wants.

4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

*Where a king's words are, there is authority; and who can tell him, "What are you doing?"

5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

*Whoever follows the rules will not experience bad things, and a smart person's mind can understand when to act and make fair decisions.

6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

*Since everything has its time and judgment, human suffering is very high.

7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

*He doesn't know what will happen because nobody can tell him when it will occur.

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.

*No person can control someone's spirit after they die. On the day someone dies, nobody has power. There's no escape from this fight, and being wicked won't save those who constantly do bad things.

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.

*I have observed everything and thought about all the tasks done in life. There is a time when one person controls another, causing them harm.

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.

*So I saw that bad people were buried who had been to the holy place and then left. They were soon forgotten in the city where they had done all that. This is just a waste of time.

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.

*Because it takes time for punishment against bad actions, people's hearts often become focused on doing wrong things.

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:

*Even if someone does wrong many times and lives longer, I am certain that those who respect and fear God will be alright.

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.

*The wicked won't do well or live long, since their life is like a shadow. This is because they don't fear 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.

*There is a thing people do on Earth where good people sometimes suffer because of the actions of bad people, and bad people sometimes suffer because of the actions of good people. I said this is pointless.

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.

*Then I praised happiness, because enjoying food, drinks, and having fun is the best thing in life. This helps people enjoy their work and live happily each day, as God gives us life 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:)

*When I decided to learn wisdom and understand what people do on Earth, I realized that even sleep doesn't rest, it's always watchful.

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 farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

*Then I saw everything God did, which a person cannot understand the work happening under the sun. No matter how hard someone tries to figure it out, they won't succeed. Even if a smart person tries to understand it, they still won't be able to figure it out.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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