Ecclesiastes 3:14

God’s Sovereignty

3:14 I also know that whatever God does will endure forever;

nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it.

God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.

Ecclesiastes 7:14

7:14 In times of prosperity ¹  be joyful,

but in times of adversity ²  consider this:

God has made one as well as the other, ³ 

so that no one can discover what the future holds. ⁴ 

Ecclesiastes 8:12

8:12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes ⁵  and still live a long time, ⁶ 

yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people ⁷  – for they stand in fear ⁸  before him.

[7:14]  ¹ tn Heb “the day of good.”

[7:14]  ² tn Heb “the day of evil.”

[7:14]  ³ tn Less probable renderings of this line are “God hath made the one side by side with the other” (ASV) and “God has set the one alongside the other” (NEB).

[7:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “anything after him.” This line is misinterpreted by several versions: “that man may not find against him any just complaint” (Douay); “consequently, man may find no fault with Him” (NJPS); “so that man cannot find fault with him in anything” (NAB).

[8:12]  ¹ tn Heb “does evil one hundred [times].”

[8:12]  ² tn Heb “and prolongs his [life].”

[8:12]  ³ tn Heb “those who fear God.”

[8:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “they fear.”