Ecclesiastes 8:14

Justice Discouragement and depression Suffering

¹² Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

¹³ But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

¹⁵ Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

¹⁶ When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

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

Compare

BSB: There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.
KJV: There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
WEB: There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
ASV: There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
DARBY: There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous [men] unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; and there are wicked [men] to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
BLB: There is a vapor that occurs on the earth: That there are righteous ones for whom it touches them according to the work of the wicked, and there are wicked for whom it touches them according to the work of the righteous. I have said this also [is] vapor.

ÅB: Der er noe tomt som hender på jorden: at der er rettferdige hvem det går som om de hadde gjort de ugudeliges gjerninger, og at der er ugudelige hvem det går som om de hadde gjort de rettferdiges gjerninger. Jeg sier at også dette er tomhet.
OTB: Det er en tomhet som oppstår på jorden: rettferdige mennesker som får det de onde fortjener, og onde mennesker som får det de rettferdige fortjener. Jeg sier at dette også er tomhet.
B1930: Der er noget tomt som hender på jorden: at der er rettferdige hvem det går som om de hadde gjort de ugudeliges gjerninger, og at der er ugudelige hvem det går som om de hadde gjort de rettferdiges gjerninger. Jeg sier at også dette er tomhet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ecclesiastes 7:15
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
Read in context
Malachi 3:15
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 2:14
The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 9:1–3
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
Read in context
Psalms 73:3
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
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Job 21:7
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
Read in context
Psalms 73:12–14
Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Read in context
Jeremiah 12:1
Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
Read in context