Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 8:2–5

²Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God. ³Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. ⁴For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

⁵Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 8

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 8:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Keep	שְׁמ֔וֹר	šə·mō·wr	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
the king’s	מֶ֣לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king
command	פִּי־	pî-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
I say	אֲנִי֙	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
because of	וְעַ֕ל	wə·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
your oath	שְׁבוּעַ֥ת	šə·ḇū·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H7621 oath, curse
before God	אֱלֹהִֽים׃	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

Ecclesiastes 8:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
hasten	תִּבָּהֵ֤ל	tib·bā·hêl	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H926 alarm, dismay
to leave	תֵּלֵ֔ךְ	tê·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
his presence	מִפָּנָיו֙	mip·pā·nāw	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
and do not	אַֽל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
persist	תַּעֲמֹ֖ד	ta·‘ă·mōḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
in a bad	רָ֑ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
cause	בְּדָבָ֣ר	bə·ḏā·ḇār	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
for	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
he will do	יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃	ya·‘ă·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
whatever	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
he pleases	יַחְפֹּ֖ץ	yaḥ·pōṣ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2654 delight in

Ecclesiastes 8:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר	ba·’ă·šer	Preposition-b; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the king’s	מֶ֖לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king
word	דְּבַר־	də·ḇar-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
is supreme	שִׁלְט֑וֹן	šil·ṭō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H7983 mastery
and who	וּמִ֥י	ū·mî	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4310 who?
can say	יֹֽאמַר־	yō·mar-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to him	ל֖וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
What	מַֽה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
are you doing	תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃	ta·‘ă·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make

Ecclesiastes 8:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Whoever keeps	שׁוֹמֵ֣ר	šō·w·mêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
his command	מִצְוָ֔ה	miṣ·wāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4687 commandment
will come to	יֵדַ֖ע	yê·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
no	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
harm	רָ֑ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
and a wise	חָכָֽם׃	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
heart	לֵ֥ב	lêḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
knows	יֵדַ֖ע	yê·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
the right time	וְעֵ֣ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
and procedure	וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט	ū·miš·pāṭ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment