Ecclesiastes 5:8

Poverty and the vulnerable Justice Authority and leadership

⁶ Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

⁷ For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.

If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.

⁹ The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

¹⁰ He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
KJV: If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
WEB: If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.
ASV: If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.
DARBY: If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they.
BLB: If you see the oppression of the poor and the robbing of justice and righteousness in a province, you should not be astonished concerning the matter, for one higher is watching over a high one, and higher ones over them.

ÅB: Om du ser at den fattige undertrykkes, og at rett og rettferdighet tredes under føtter i landet, så undre deg ikke over den ting! For den som er høytstående, har en høyere til å vokte på seg, og en høyeste vokter på dem begge.
OTB: Hvis du ser undertrykkelse av de fattige og fornektelse av rettferdighet og rettigheter i en provins, bli ikke forbauset over saken; for én embetsmann blir overvåket av en høyere, og det er høyere embetsmenn over dem.
B1930: Om du ser at den fattige undertrykkes, og at rett og rettferdighet tredes under føtter i landet, så undre dig ikke over den ting! For den som er høitstående, har en høiere til å vokte på sig, og en høieste vokter på dem begge.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 12:5
“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 4:1
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 3:16
Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
Read in context
1 Kings 21:19–20
Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”
Read in context
Psalms 58:10–11
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
Read in context
Revelation 17:6–7
I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
Read in context
Matthew 13:41–42
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.
Read in context
Psalms 82:1
God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:
Read in context