Ecclesiastes 8

“Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.” The line’s distinctive content terms include doeth, evil, hasty. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city…” The line’s distinctive content terms include buried, city, forgotten. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work…” The line’s distinctive content terms include happeneth, vanity, wicked. Its relationship to verses 13 and 15 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that…” The line’s distinctive content terms include applied, business, earth. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.