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Ecclesiastes
8
The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance, and
the most mighty will change his face.
I observe the mouth of the king, and the commandments
of the oath of God.
Be not hasty to depart from his face, and do not continue
in an evil work: for he will do all that pleaseth him:
And his word is full of power: neither can any man say
to him: Why dost thou so?
He that keepeth the commandments shall find no evil.
The heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.
There is a time and opportunity for every business,
and great affliction for man:
Because he is ignorant of things past, and things to
come he cannot know by any messenger.
It is not in man's power to stop the spirit, neither
hath he power in the day of death, neither is he suffered
to rest when war is at hand, neither shall wickedness
save the wicked.
All these things I have considered, and applied my heart
to all the works that are done under the sun. Sometimes
one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
I saw the wicked buried: who also when they were yet
living were in the holy place, and were praised in the
city as men of just works: but this also is vanity.
For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against
the evil, the children of men commit evils without any
fear.
But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and by
patience be borne withal, I know from thence that it
shall be well with them that fear God, who dread his
face.
But let it not be well with the wicked, neither let
his days be prolonged, but as a shadow let them pass
away that fear not the face of the Lord.
There is also another vanity, which is done upon the
earth. There are just men to whom evils happen, as though
they had done the works of the wicked: and there are
wicked men, who are as secure, as though they had the
deeds of the just: but this also I judge most vain.
Therefore I commended mirth, because there was no good
for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and
be merry, and that he should take nothing else with
him of his labour in the days of his life, which God
hath given him under the sun.
And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to understand
the distraction that is upon earth: for there are some
that day and night take no sleep with their eyes.
And I understood that man can find no reason of all
those works of God that are done under the sun: and
the more he shall labour to seek, so much the less shall
he find: yea, though the wise man shall say, that he
knoweth it, he shall not be able to find it.
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