8:1-9—Wisdom and the King’s Authority
Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed. I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath of God. Do not be hasty to go out of his presence. Do not persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him, for the king’s word is authoritative. Who can say to him, “What are you doing?” Whoever keeps the commandment will not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every purpose, even though the misery of man is heavy on him. For no one knows what will happen, because who can tell him when it will happen? There is no man who has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no one has power over the day of his death. No one is discharged in that war, and wickedness will not rescue its owners. All this have I seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time when one man has power over another to his hurt.
8:10-13—The Problem of Delayed Justice
Indeed, I saw the wicked buried and departed. They used to come in and go out from the holy place and were praised in the city where they did such things. This also is pointless. 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. Though a sinner does evil 100 times and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better for those who fear God, who are reverent before him. But it will not be well with the wicked person, nor will he lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.
8:14-15—Enjoy Life Despite the Injustice
There is a pointless thing that is done on the earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is pointless. So I recommend the enjoyment of life, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, and that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
8:16-17—The Endless Search for Meaning
When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the activity that is done on the earth (indeed, there is one that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes), then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun because however much man labors to seek it out, yet he will not be able to find it. Even if a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he will not be able to find it.
