Ecclesiastes 8
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Who 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.
2I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
3Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
4Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
5Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
6Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
7For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
8There 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.
9All 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.
10And 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.
11Because 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.
12Though 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:
13But 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.
14There 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.
15Then 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.
16When 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:)
17Then 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 further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH83420× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH621310× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1209× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- כִּיkîyH35889× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- אֵתʼêthH8539× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- אַיִןʼayinH3698× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30457× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- לֹאlôʼH38087× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- רַעraʻH74517× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- מַעֲשֶׂהmaʻăsehH46396× in this chapter
an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property
- גַּםgamH15715× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- כֹּלkôlH36055× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4305× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- עַלʻalH59215× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64405× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72005× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- דָּבָרdâbârH16974× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- הָיָהhâyâhH19614× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- יוֹםyôwmH31174× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- יֵשׁyêshH34264× in this chapter
there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
- לֵבlêbH38204× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- מִיmîyH43104× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- רָשָׁעrâshâʻH75634× in this chapter
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
- שֶׁמֶשׁshemeshH81214× in this chapter
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement
- תַּחַתtachathH84784× in this chapter
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.
- הֶבֶלhebelH18923× in this chapter
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
- זֶהzehH20883× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- חָכָםchâkâmH24503× in this chapter
wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)
- טוֹבṭôwbH28963× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- כֵּןkênH36513× in this chapter
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)
- מָצָאmâtsâʼH46723× in this chapter
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
- נָתַןnâthanH54143× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- אָמַרʼâmarH5593× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- אֲנִיʼănîyH5893× in this chapter
I
- עֵתʻêthH62563× in this chapter
time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
- הָלַךְhâlakH19802× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- חׇכְמָהchokmâhH24512× in this chapter
wisdom (in a good sense)
- יָכֹלyâkôlH32012× in this chapter
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
- יָרֵאyârêʼH33732× in this chapter
fearing; morally, reverent
- אַלʼalH4082× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing