Ecclesiastes 8:1-17, NLT
Ecclesiastes 8
1How wonderful to be wise,
to analyze and interpret things.
Wisdom lights up a person’s face,
softening its harshness.
Obedience to the King
2Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would.
7Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen?
The Wicked and the Righteous
9I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other.
14And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!
15So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.
16In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night.