קהלת 8:5

Hebrew Modern Translation

שומר מצוה לא ידע דבר רע ועת ומשפט ידע לב חכם׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Aleppo Codex
שומר מצוה לא ידע דבר רע ועת ומשפט ידע לב חכם

Biblia Hebrica Stuttgartensia (1967/77)
שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם ׃

Westminster Leningrad Codex
שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָּבָר רָע וְעֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט יֵדַע לֵב חָכָֽם ׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

keepeth: Ecclesiastes 8:2, Exodus 1:17, Exodus 1:20, Exodus 1:21, Psalms 119:6, Hosea 5:11, Luke 20:25, Acts 4:19, Acts 5:29, Romans 13:5-7, 1 Peter 3:13, 1 Peter 3:14

feel: Heb. know

a wise: Ecclesiastes 2:14, Ecclesiastes 10:2, 1 Chronicles 12:32, Proverbs 17:24, Luke 12:56, Luke 12:57, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 2:15, Philippians 1:9, Philippians 1:10, Colossians 1:9, Hebrews 5:14

Reciprocal: Proverbs 13:23 - destroyed Proverbs 19:16 - keepeth the Ecclesiastes 3:1 - every thing Ecclesiastes 9:12 - man 1 Corinthians 11:29 - not James 3:13 - is a 1 John 2:5 - whoso

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing,.... Either the commandment of an earthly king, which should be kept, when agreeably to the laws of the nation, and not inconsistent with the commands of God; and such as do observe it "know no evil" a, as it may be rendered, or no sorrow; they live peaceably and quietly, and enjoy the favour and protection of the government under which they are, and have praise of men; see Romans 13:3; or the commandments of the heavenly King, the singular being put for the plural; so the Targum,

"whoso keepeth the commandments of the Lord shall know no evil in the world to come.''

Nor in this world neither; no evil befalls them; what may be thought to be so is for their good; though they know and are conscious of the evil of sin, and commit it, yet not willingly, and with love to it, and so as to make it the work of their lives; but lament it, repent of it, and forsake it, and do not feel the evil of punishment for it; yea, such enjoy much good; have much communion with God; large discoveries of his love; dwell in him, and shall at last dwell with him in the heavenly city; see John 14:21;

and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment; he knows not only what is his duty to do, both with respect to God and men, to a temporal prince or the King eternal; but he knows also the most fit and convenient time of doing it; and lays hold on every opportunity that offers, and which may be called "redeeming time", Galatians 6:10; and he knows the right manner in which it should be performed, with all the agreeable circumstances of it, which he carefully observes; or he knows the judgment that will be passed, or the punishment that will be inflicted on delinquents, either by God or men; and therefore is careful to keep the commandment, and avoid it: and especially he remembers there is a judgment to come, when everything will be brought to an account; and, though he does not know the precise day and hour, yet he knows there will be such a time; so some render it, "the time of judgment" b: the Targum is,

"and the time of prayer, and of judgment, and of truth, is known by the heart of the wise.''

a לא ידע "non cognoscet", Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Rambachius, Cocceius. b ועת ומשפט καιρον κρισεως, Sept. so some in Drusius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Feel - literally, know. The meaning is, “He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecclesiastes 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the king’s commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in God’s time and by God’s judgment.” Compare Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:17.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 8:5. Both time and judgment. — It is a matter of great importance to be able to discern WHEN and HOW both to speak and act; but when time and manner are both determined, the matter comes next. WHAT shall I speak? WHAT shall I do? When, how, and what, answer to time, manner, and matter. To discern all these, and act suitably, is a lesson for a philosopher, and a study for a Christian.