Ecclesiastes 8:13

New King James Version

But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
However, it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, for they are not reverent before God.

Hebrew Names Version
But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow; because he doesn't fear God.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

New American Standard Bible
But it will not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

New Century Version
I also know it will not go well for evil people, because they do not honor God. Like a shadow, they will not last.

Amplified Bible
But it will not be well for the evil man, nor will he lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

World English Bible
But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow; because he doesn't fear God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But it shall not be well to the wicked, neither shall he prolong his dayes: he shall be like a shadowe, because he feareth not before God.

Legacy Standard Bible
But it will not be well for the wicked man, and he will not prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God openly.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

Contemporary English Version
but no one who sins and rejects God will prosper or live very long.

Complete Jewish Bible
But things will not go well with the wicked; and, like a shadow, he will not prolong his days; because he doesn't fear God.

Darby Translation
but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong [his] days as a shadow, because he feareth not before God.

Easy-to-Read Version
Evil people don't respect God, so they will not get good things or live long lives. Their lives will not be like the shadows that become longer and longer as the sun goes down.

George Lamsa Translation
But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are like a shadow; because he does not fear before God.

Good News Translation
but it will not go well for the wicked. Their life is like a shadow and they will die young, because they do not obey God."

Lexham English Bible
But it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not prolong their days, like the shadow; because there is no fearing God's presence.

Literal Translation
But it shall not be well for the wicked; and he shall not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Agayne, as for the vngodly, it shall not be well with him, nether shal he prologe his dayes: but euen as a shadowe, so shall he be that feareth not God.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
But it will not be well for the evil-doer; he will not make his days long like a shade, because he has no fear before God.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.

King James Version (1611)
But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall hee prolong his dayes which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Againe, as for the vngodly it shall not be well with him, neither shall he prolong his dayes: but euen as a shadowe, so shall he be that feareth not God.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
but it shall not be well with the ungodly, and he shall not prolong his days, which are as a shadow; forasmuch as he fears not before God.

English Revised Version
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Good be not to the wickid man, nethir hise daies be maad longe; but passe thei as schadewe, that dreden not the face of the Lord.

Update Bible Version
but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow; because he does not fear before God.

Webster's Bible Translation
But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

New English Translation
But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.

New Living Translation
The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows.

New Life Bible
But it will not go well for the sinful man. His days will not be long like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

New Revised Standard
but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
but, well, shall it not be to the lawless man, neither shall he lengthen out his days like a shadow, - because he standeth not in awe before God.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But let it not be well with the wicked, neither let his days be prolonged, but as a shadow let them pass away that fear not the face of the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Young's Literal Translation
And good is not to the wicked, and he doth not prolong days as a shadow, because he is not fearing before God.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

Contextual Overview

⁹ All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt. ¹⁰ Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten [fn] in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity. ¹¹ Because the 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. ¹² Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. ¹³ But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

it shall: Job 18:5, Job 20:5, Job 21:30, Psalms 11:5, Isaiah 57:21, Malachi 3:18, Matthew 13:49, Matthew 13:50, John 5:29

neither: Psalms 55:23, Isaiah 30:13, 2 Peter 2:3

as a: Ecclesiastes 6:12, Job 7:6, Job 7:7, Job 14:2, Psalms 39:5, Psalms 144:4, James 4:14

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:7 - If thou doest well Genesis 18:25 - that the Genesis 22:12 - now Deuteronomy 17:20 - right hand 1 Samuel 15:7 - smote 2 Kings 9:24 - smote Job 27:13 - the portion Psalms 73:17 - then Psalms 109:23 - gone Ecclesiastes 7:15 - there is a wicked Isaiah 3:11 - Woe Jeremiah 44:10 - neither Ezekiel 33:8 - O wicked Matthew 10:28 - him

Cross-References

Genesis 7:11
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But it shall not be well with the wicked,.... It shall be ill with him; more is designed than is expressed, Isaiah 3:11; in life they have no solid peace and comfort; at death they will be turned into at judgment they will hear the awful sentence, "Go, ye cursed", and will be in torment to all eternity, Matthew 25:41;

neither shall he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow: wicked men sometimes do not live out half their days, which, according to the course of nature, and common term of life, they might be thought to live; or if they prolong their days in wickedness, as sometimes they do, Ecclesiastes 7:15; yet their days at longest are but a shadow which declines, and is quickly gone; or, however, they do not attain to eternal life, which is sometimes meant by prolonging days, and is length of days for ever and ever, Isaiah 53:10; this they never enjoy; but when the righteous go into life lasting, they go into everlasting punishment. The reason of this is,

because he feareth not before God; the fear of God is not before his eyes, nor in his heart; he goes on in sin without fear of him, boldly and openly commits it, and instead of taking shame for it, or repenting of it, glories in it; stretches out his hand against God, and bids defiance to him, and desires not the knowledge of him, and refuses to obey him The Targum of the whole is,

"and it shall not be well with the wicked, and he shall have no space in the world to come; and in this world his days shall be cut off, and they shall flee and pass away as a shadow, because he fears not God.''

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked — Let not the long-spared sinner presume that, because sentence is not speedily executed on his evil works, and he is suffered to go on to his hundredth transgression, God has forgotten to punish. No; he feareth not before God; and therefore he shall not ultimately escape.