Ecclesiastes 8:10-17

English Standard Version

Those Who Fear God Will Do Well

¹⁰ Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of ^(A)the holy place and were ^(B)praised^[a] in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.^{[b] 11} Because ^(C)the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, ^(D)the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. ¹² Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and ^(E)prolongs his life, yet I know that ^(F)it will be well with ^(G)those who fear God, because they fear before him. ¹³ But it will ^(H)not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like ^(I)a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Man Cannot Know God's Ways

¹⁴ There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people ^(J)to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people ^(K)to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. ¹⁵ And I commend joy, for man ^(L)has nothing better under the sun but to ^(M)eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

¹⁶ When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see ^(N)the business that is done on earth, how neither ^(O)day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, ¹⁷ then I saw all the work of God, that ^(P)man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, ^(Q)he cannot find it out.