Ecclesiastes 8:14

Here was a vain thing which was done upon the earth—that there were righteous men unto whom it happened according to the work of the lawless, and there were lawless men, unto whom it happened according to the work of the righteous,—I said, that, even this, was vanity.

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

13but, well, shall it not be to the lawless man, neither shall he lengthen out his days like a shadow,—because he standeth not in awe before God.

15Then extolled I, gladness, in that there was nothing better for a man, under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be glad,—since, that, should tarry with him in his toil, for the days of his life which God had given him under the sun.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 8

Cross References

Job 1:22In all this, Job sinned not, nor imputed folly unto God.

Job 21:7Wherefore do, lawless men, live, advance in years, even wax mighty in power?

Job 24:21He oppresseth the barren who beareth not, and, to the widow, he doeth not good;

Psalms 73:3For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.

Ecclesiastes 2:14As for the wise man, his eyes, are in his head, whereas, the dullard, in darkness, doth walk,—but, I myself, knew that, one destiny, happeneth to them, all.

Ecclesiastes 4:8Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches,—neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 8:10-14

The Evil of Oppressive Rulers. 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. 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. 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. 12 Though a sinner do… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 8:14