Ecclesiastes 8:9

I have realized all this; I have applied my heart to every kind of work that is done under the sun. There is a time when a person oppresses another person to that person's hurt. + 8:9 Some modern versions have to his own hurt . The Hebrew passage can be interpreted either way.

Unlocked Literal Bible

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

8No one is ruler over his breath so as to stop the breath, + 8:8 Some versions have No one is ruler over the wind so as to stop the wind . 2 and no one has power over the day of his death. 1 No one is discharged from the army during a battle, 2 and wickedness will not rescue those who are its slaves.

10So I saw the wicked buried publicly. They were taken from the holy area and buried and were praised by people in the city where they had done their wicked deeds. This also is uselessness. + 8:10 Some modern versions have other interpretations of this difficult verse: I saw wicked people come and go into the holy place. They proudly spoke in the city about the things they had done. This also is uselessness . Other versions have I saw wicked people come and go into the holy place. They were praised in the city for the things they had done. This also is uselessness .

Read all of Ecclesiastes 8

Cross References

Exodus 14:28The waters came back and covered Pharaoh's chariots, horsemen, and his entire army that had followed the chariots into the sea. No one survived.

2 Kings 14:10You have indeed attacked Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Take pride in your victory, but stay at home, for why should you cause yourself trouble and fall, both you and Judah with you?”

Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind. 1

Ecclesiastes 4:7Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun. 1

Ecclesiastes 5:8When you see the poor being oppressed and robbed of just and right treatment in your province, do not be astonished as if no one knows, because there are people in power who watch those under them, and there are even higher ones over them.

Ecclesiastes 7:25I turned my heart to learn and examine 2 and seek wisdom and the explanations of reality, 1 and to understand that evil is stupid 2 and that folly is madness. 1

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 8:7-9

The Certainty of Death. 6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? 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. Solomon had said ( v. 5 ) that a wise man's heart discerns time and judgment, that is, a man's… Read the whole commentary →

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