## Ecclesiastes Chapter 8

###### Ecclesiastes 8:1
[Ecclesiastes 8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:1)

מִ֚י כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם וּמִ֥י יוֹדֵ֖עַ פֵּ֣שֶׁר דָּבָ֑ר חׇכְמַ֤ת אָדָם֙ תָּאִ֣יר פָּנָ֔יו וְעֹ֥ז פָּנָ֖יו יְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
Who is like the wise person and who knows how to interpret things? A man’s wisdom lights up his face, and the boldness of his face is changed.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Who is like the wise man? and who knows the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom makes his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Who is as [distinctive as] the sages, and who knows [(as he does)] the meaning of a thing? A man's wisdom will light his face, and the splendor of his countenance will transcend [(the faces of other men, so that they will come to fear him)].


###### Ecclesiastes 8:2
[Ecclesiastes 8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:2)

אֲנִי֙ פִּי־מֶ֣לֶךְ שְׁמֹ֔ר וְעַ֕ל דִּבְרַ֖ת שְׁבוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
My [advice to you is]: keep the King’s command, and do so because of the oath to God.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in the manner of an oath of God.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
[Therefore,] I [need and prepared to] heed the mouth [i.e., the words] of the King according to the oath of G-d [into which we entered in Chorev, to observe His mitzvoth].


###### Ecclesiastes 8:3
[Ecclesiastes 8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:3)

אַל־תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
Do not hasten to leave His Presence do not persist in doing evil; for whatever pleases Him, He does.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Be not hasty to go out of his presence: stand not in an evil thing; for he does whatever pleases him.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Do not be hasty [to think] that you can escape Him [(for wherever you may go, there He reigns)]. Do not persist in [the doing of] an evil thing. For whatever He wishes He may do [(in exacting punishment of you)].


###### Ecclesiastes 8:4
[Ecclesiastes 8:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:4)

בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
For the King’s word is all powerful; and who can say to Him, “What are You doing?”

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
For the word of a king has authority: and who may say to him, What doest thou?

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
For the King's word rules, and who can tell Him what to do?


###### Ecclesiastes 8:5
[Ecclesiastes 8:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:5)

שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
He who preserves the commandment will know no evil; and [the significance of] time and judgment is known by the wise man.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
He who keeps the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerns both time and method.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
[But] the keeper of a mitzvah will not know an evil thing; and the heart of the wise one knows (of) the time of retribution [upon the wicked].


###### Ecclesiastes 8:6
[Ecclesiastes 8:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:6)

כִּ֣י לְכׇל־חֵ֔פֶץ יֵ֖שׁ עֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט כִּֽי־רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם רַבָּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
For every matter there is a time and judgement; when the evil of man overwhelms him.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
For every matter has its time and method, though the misery of man is great upon him.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
For every [evil] will [acted out] has a time [for punishment], when a man's evil is great upon him [i.e., when his "measure" of evil is full].


###### Ecclesiastes 8:7
[Ecclesiastes 8:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:7)

כִּֽי־אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יֹדֵ֖עַ מַה־שֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶ֑ה כִּ֚י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽהְיֶ֔ה מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
For he does not know what will be, for when it comes to pass who will tell him?

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
For he knows not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
For [when the wicked man transgresses], he does not know what [punishment awaits him]. And when it arrives, who will tell him [(in the swiftness of its onslaught, what counsels to take)]?


###### Ecclesiastes 8:8
[Ecclesiastes 8:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:8)

אֵ֣ין אָדָ֞ם שַׁלִּ֤יט בָּר֙וּחַ֙ לִכְל֣וֹא אֶת־הָר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֤ין שִׁלְטוֹן֙ בְּי֣וֹם הַמָּ֔וֶת וְאֵ֥ין מִשְׁלַ֖חַת בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־יְמַלֵּ֥ט רֶ֖שַׁע אֶת־בְּעָלָֽיו׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
Man has no power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, he has no power over the day of death, nor dispatch in battle; nor will wickedness save its perpetrator.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
There is no man who has power over the wind to retain the wind; nor has he power over the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; nor shall wickedness deliver those who are given up to it.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
No man keeps the spirit [i.e., the will of the L-rd's messenger] from depriving him [(the man)] of the spirit [(i.e., the breath of his body,) so that the Angel of Death not take it]. And [no king's] rule prevails [on the appointed] day of his death. [e.g., we always find “And King David did, etc."; but, on the day of his death, we find (I Kings 2:1): "And the days of David drew near to die."] And there is no deputation [(of another to serve as a stand-in)] in this war. And evil will not rescue its practitioner.


###### Ecclesiastes 8:9
[Ecclesiastes 8:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:9)

אֶת־כׇּל־זֶ֤ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ וְנָת֣וֹן אֶת־לִבִּ֔י לְכׇֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֧ט הָאָדָ֛ם בְּאָדָ֖ם לְרַ֥ע לֽוֹ׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
All this I have seen, and I applied my heart to [understand] all the work that is done under the sun; there is a time when man rules over man to his detriment.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
All this have I seen, and have appointed my heart to every work that is done under the sun: there is a time when one man rules over another to his own hurt.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
All of this [(the above)] I saw. And I [also] applied my heart to all the deeds [of men] done under the sun, seeing how one man lorded it over another to his [own] undoing.


###### Ecclesiastes 8:10
[Ecclesiastes 8:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:10)

וּבְכֵ֡ן רָאִ֩יתִי֩ רְשָׁעִ֨ים קְבֻרִ֜ים וָבָ֗אוּ וּמִמְּק֤וֹם קָדוֹשׁ֙ יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ בָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר כֵּן־עָשׂ֑וּ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
And so I have seen how the wicked were buried and came forth anew [whereas the righteous] who were gone from the holy place were forgotten in the very city where they performed [righteousness;] this, too, is vanity.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
And so I saw the wicked buried, and come to their rest; but those who had done right were gone from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And then I saw [prophetically], wicked men [deserving to be] buried, who came [to destroy Israel], and who went from the holy place [(the Temple, which they had defiled], vaunting themselves in [their] cities for having done so. This, too, is vanity [(intended to try humankind, leading them to think — from the delay of punishment — that there is no judgment and no Judge.]


###### Ecclesiastes 8:11
[Ecclesiastes 8:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:11)

אֲשֶׁר֙ אֵין־נַעֲשָׂ֣ה פִתְגָ֔ם מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ה מְהֵרָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֡ן מָלֵ֞א לֵ֧ב בְּֽנֵי־הָאָדָ֛ם בָּהֶ֖ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
Because the execution of sentence against evil deeds is not done quickly; therefore, the hearts of men are filled with encouragement to do evil.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
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.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The fact that punishment for wrongdoing is not hastily executed fills the hearts of men within them to do evil


###### Ecclesiastes 8:12
[Ecclesiastes 8:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:12)

אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֹטֶ֗א עֹשֶׂ֥ה רָ֛ע מְאַ֖ת וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ ל֑וֹ כִּ֚י גַּם־יוֹדֵ֣עַ אָ֔נִי אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה־טּוֹב֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽירְא֖וּ מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his days are prolonged; nevertheless, I know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before His Presence.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with those who fear God, who fear before him:

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
in that [they see that] the sinner does evil a hundred [times] and that He withholds [punishment] from him. For [in spite of this] I know also that [in the end] it will go well for the fearers of G-d for fearing Him.


###### Ecclesiastes 8:13
[Ecclesiastes 8:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:13)

וְטוֹב֙ לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע וְלֹֽא־יַאֲרִ֥יךְ יָמִ֖ים כַּצֵּ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יָרֵ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
And it will not be well with the wicked, nor shall he prolong his days which are like a shadow; because he does not fear before the Presence of God.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
but it shall not be well with the wicked, and, like the shadow, he will not prolong his days; because he does not fear before God.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
But it shall not go well for the wicked one and his days will not be prolonged, [(but he will be)] like a shadow, for not having feared G-d.


###### Ecclesiastes 8:14
[Ecclesiastes 8:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:14)

יֶשׁ־הֶ֘בֶל֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר**׀** יֵ֣שׁ צַדִּיקִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַגִּ֤יעַ אֲלֵהֶם֙ כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָרְשָׁעִ֔ים וְיֵ֣שׁ רְשָׁעִ֔ים שֶׁמַּגִּ֥יעַ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הַצַּדִּיקִ֑ים אָמַ֕רְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: there are righteous men who suffer as if they had performed [the same] deeds as those who are wicked; and there are wicked men who receive [reward] as if they had performed the same deeds as the righteous; I said that this too is vanity.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are just men, to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
There is vanity [(confounding men)] that is done upon the earth — righteous men being visited [with evil,] which befits the deeds of the wicked, and wicked men being accorded [good,] which befits the deeds of the righteous. I said: This, too, is vanity [i.e., one of the vanities incident to the world].


###### Ecclesiastes 8:15
[Ecclesiastes 8:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:15)

וְשִׁבַּ֤חְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת־הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽין־ט֤וֹב לָֽאָדָם֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כִּ֛י אִם־לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת וְלִשְׂמ֑וֹחַ וְה֞וּא יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ בַעֲמָל֗וֹ יְמֵ֥י חַיָּ֛יו אֲשֶׁר־נָֽתַן־ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
I extolled [the concept of] rejoicing for there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat and drink and be joyful; and this will accompany him in his toil [all] the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
So I commend mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall accompany him in his labour during the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And I praised the happiness [(of rejoicing in one's lot and occupying oneself with joy-giving mitzvoth and with shunning transgression)], there being nothing better for a man [all] the days of his life that G-d has given him under the sun than eating, drinking, and rejoicing [in this manner]. And it [(this joy)] will accompany him in his toil.


###### Ecclesiastes 8:16
[Ecclesiastes 8:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:16)

כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤תִּי אֶת־לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חׇכְמָ֔ה וְלִרְאוֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣עִנְיָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י גַ֤ם בַּיּוֹם֙ וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה שֵׁנָ֕ה בְּעֵינָ֖יו אֵינֶ֥נּוּ רֹאֶֽה׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to observe the activity that is done on the earth—for neither by day nor by night does he see sleep with his eyes.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (how one sees no sleep with one’s eyes either by day or by night;)

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
When I set my heart to know wisdom and to see what is done upon the earth, that both day and night, he [(the wicked one, who is steeped in the pursuit of wealth and of lust)] does not see [i.e., does not attain the object of his desires],


###### Ecclesiastes 8:17
[Ecclesiastes 8:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ecclesiastes/r/8:17)

וְרָאִ֘יתִי֮ אֶת־כׇּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִים֒ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוּכַ֜ל הָאָדָ֗ם לִמְצוֹא֙ אֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה תַֽחַת־הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ בְּ֠שֶׁ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲמֹ֧ל הָאָדָ֛ם לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָ֑א וְגַ֨ם אִם־יֹאמַ֤ר הֶֽחָכָם֙ לָדַ֔עַת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִמְצֹֽא׃

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
And I saw all the works of God—that man cannot discover the work that is done under the sun; and though a man labor to seek it out he will not find it; and even though a wise man declares that he knows it, he, too, will not be able to discover it.

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
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; furthermore; though a wise man think to know it, yet he shall not be able to find it.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Then I saw, of all the acts of G-d [that He revealed to men], that a man could not discover the full meaning of the deed that is done [by G-d] under the sun [e.g., the wicked prospering and the righteous failing]. For [I have seen] many men toiling to seek it and not finding it. And even if the sage claims to know it, he cannot know it, [(as even Moses could not know it), viz. Exodus 33:13, etc.]