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Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8

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Ecclesiastes 8 NWT - New World TranslationEcclesiastes 8 NWT - New World Translation

Chapter 8 of Ecclesiastes—New World Translation (NWT)

  1. ¶ Who is there like the wise one?1 And who is there knowing the interpretation of a thing?2 The wisdom of a man itself causes his face to shine, and even the sternness of his face is changed [for the better].3
  2. ¶ I [say:] “Keep the very order of the king,4 and that out of regard for the oath of God.5
  3. Do not hurry yourself, that you may go out from before him.6 Do not stand in a bad thing.7 For all that he delights [to do] he will do,8
  4. because the word of the king is the power of control;9 and who may say to him: ‘What are you doing?’”
  5. ¶ He that is keeping the commandment will not know any calamitous thing,10 and the wise heart will know both time and judgment.11
  6. For there exists a time and judgment even for every affair,12 because the calamity of mankind is abundant upon them.13
  7. For there is no one knowing what will come to be,14 because who can tell him just how it will come to be?
  8. ¶ There is no man having power over the spirit[a] to restrain the spirit;15 neither is there any power of control in the day of death;16 nor is there any discharge in the war.17 And wickedness will provide no escape for those indulging in it.[b]18
  9. ¶ All this I have seen, and there was an applying[c] of my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, [during] the time that man has dominated man to his injury.19
  10. But, though this is so, I have seen the wicked ones being buried,20 how they came in and how they would go away from the holy place21 itself and be forgotten in the city where they acted that way.22 This too is vanity.
  11. ¶ Because sentence against a bad work has not been executed speedily,23 that is why the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad.24
  12. Although a sinner may be doing bad25 a hundred times and continuing a long time as he pleases, yet I am also aware that it will turn out well with those fearing the [true] God,26 because they were in fear of him.27
  13. But it will not turn out well at all with the wicked one,28 neither will he prolong his days that are like a shadow,29 because he is not in fear of God.30
  14. ¶ There exists a vanity that is carried out on the earth, that there exist righteous ones to whom it is happening as if for the work of the wicked ones,31 and there exist wicked ones to whom it is happening as if for the work of the righteous ones.32 I said that this too is vanity.
  15. ¶ And I myself commended rejoicing,33 because mankind[d] have nothing better under the sun than to eat and drink and rejoice, and that it should accompany them in their hard work for the days of their life,34 which the [true] God has given them under the sun.35
  16. In accord with this I applied my heart36 to know wisdom and to see the occupation that is carried on in the earth,37 because there is one seeing no sleep with his eyes, either by day or by night.38
  17. ¶ And I saw all the work of the [true] God,39 how mankind are not able to find out the work that has been done under the sun;40 however much mankind keep working hard to seek, yet they do not find out.41 And even if they should say they are wise enough to know,42 they would be unable to find out.43

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ “Over the spirit (breath).” Heb., ba·ruʹach; Gr., pneuʹma·ti.
  2. ^ Lit., “the owners of it.” Heb., beʽa·lavʹ.
  3. ^ “There was an applying.” In Heb. this is a verb in the infinitive absolute, indefinite as to time and impersonal.
  4. ^ Lit., “for the earthling man.” Heb., la·ʼa·dhamʹ.

REFERENCES

  1. ^ Pr 1:5; 3:35; 15:7, 31
  2. ^ Ge 40:8; 2Pe 1:20
  3. ^ Pr 4:8
  4. ^ Pr 24:21; Ro 13:1; Ti 3:1; 1Pe 2:13
  5. ^ 2Sa 5:3
  6. ^ Ec 10:4
  7. ^ 1Ki 1:49; Pr 20:2
  8. ^ Da 5:19
  9. ^ Ge 41:44; 1Ki 2:25; Ezr 7:26; Da 3:15; Ro 13:1
  10. ^ Ps 119:6; Ro 13:3, 5; 1Pe 3:13
  11. ^ 1Sa 24:13; 26:10; 1Ch 12:32; Ps 37:7; Pr 17:24
  12. ^ Ec 3:17
  13. ^ Lu 17:27, 29
  14. ^ Mt 24:44
  15. ^ Jb 34:14; Ec 12:7
  16. ^ Ps 89:48; 104:29; 146:4
  17. ^ Ro 5:12, 14
  18. ^ Ps 9:17; 52:5; Pr 14:32; Is 28:18
  19. ^ Ge 3:16; Ex 1:14; 2Ki 25:7; Mc 7:3
  20. ^ 2Ki 9:34; 2Ch 28:27
  21. ^ Mt 24:15
  22. ^ Pr 10:7; Ec 9:5; Heb 10:38
  23. ^ Ex 8:15; 1Sa 2:23; Ps 10:6; Is 26:10; Mt 24:48
  24. ^ Ex 9:16; Je 44:17; 2Pe 3:9
  25. ^ 1Ki 21:25; Pr 13:21; Ro 9:22
  26. ^ Ps 37:11, 18; 112:1; 115:13; Is 3:10; 65:13; Mt 25:34; 2Pe 2:9
  27. ^ Ps 25:14; 34:9; 103:13; Pr 23:17
  28. ^ Nu 32:23; Jb 18:5; Ps 11:5; 37:10; Is 57:21; Mt 25:46; 2Pe 2:12
  29. ^ Jb 24:24; Ec 6:12; Lu 12:20; Jm 1:11; 2Pe 2:3
  30. ^ Ps 14:1; 36:1
  31. ^ Ec 7:15; Mt 27:22
  32. ^ Ps 37:7; 73:12; Ml 3:15
  33. ^ Ps 100:2; Ec 3:12; Mt 5:12; Pp 4:4
  34. ^ Ec 2:24; 1Ti 6:17
  35. ^ Ec 1:3
  36. ^ Pr 14:33; 22:17; Ec 7:25
  37. ^ Ec 1:13
  38. ^ Ec 2:23
  39. ^ Ge 1:1; Ps 40:5; 104:24; 146:6; Is 40:28
  40. ^ Jb 11:7; Ec 3:11; 11:5; Ro 11:33
  41. ^ Jb 28:12
  42. ^ Pr 3:7; 26:5
  43. ^ Ec 7:24; 11:5; Da 12:9

Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 8 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. Kiamia DoelKiamia Doel
    Jan 9, 2025 23:00 GMT

    The NWT adds words to the text that are not in the greek Manuscripts to fit it's own doctrinal position for example

    Compare the wording of the NWT and the NKJV at Colossians 1:15-17

    NKJV says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

    NWT says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn OF all creation;16 because by means of him all OTHER things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible,whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All OTHER things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all OTHER things,and by means of him all OTHER things were made to exist,

    The word “other” is not in the Greek but they add it Why? So they can decieve their followers into thinking that Christ was created by the Father and that he then created other things, that is not what the Greek says.

    1. SmeSme
      Feb 27, 2025 11:17 GMT

      Truth is from God and those that follow him. As for lies? John8:44

      Kiamia, I noticed you used a modern version of kjv to make your point about the nwt.

      Why didn’t you use the original kjv of col1:15?

      Is it because it disproves your point? It proves the opposite of what you wrote?

      Here is kjv col1:15 ¶” Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn OF every creature:“

      Now I appeal to your Christian nature to correct your mistake as God is watching each of us, and let us bless the God of Jesus his father.

      Kjv 1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ….

  2. YanekYanek
    Dec 24, 2024 22:18 GMT

    Joshua, Jehovah’s Witnesses have never denied the deity of the Messiah in his prehuman existence. While on Earth he was fully 100% human. I do not mean he was a mere human, he was not affected by Adam’s unfaithful behavior, he was sinless.

  3. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  4. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  5. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  6. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  7. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  8. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  9. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

  10. EmpiralEmpiral
    Jul 4, 2025 19:06 GMT

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