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12 Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence. 13 But things will not go well for the wicked person: he will not lengthen his life[a] like a shadow, since he has no fear before God.

Fruitless Righteousness, Fruitful Evil

14 Here is a pointless thing that happens on earth: A righteous man receives what happens to the wicked, and a wicked man receives what happens to the righteous. I concluded that this, too, is pointless.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:13 Lit. days

12 Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better(A) with those who fear God,(B) who are reverent before him.(C) 13 Yet because the wicked do not fear God,(D) it will not go well with them, and their days(E) will not lengthen like a shadow.

14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.(F) This too, I say, is meaningless.(G)

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