Ecclesiastes 8:9
I observed all this as I considered all the work done under the sun: a time when one man has power over another to hurt them.
Additional Resources
Other Translations
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
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 ruleth over another to his own hurt.
KJV1611 – Modern English
All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man rules over another to his own harm.
King James Version 1611 (Original)
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 ruleth over another to his own hurt.
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
All this have I seen,{H7200} and applied{H5414} my heart{H3820} unto every work{H4639} that is done{H6213} under the sun:{H8121} [there is] a time{H6256} wherein one man{H120} hath power{H7980} over another to his hurt.{H7451}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
All this have I seen{H7200}{(H8804)}, and applied{H5414}{(H8800)} my heart{H3820} unto every work{H4639} that is done{H6213}{(H8738)} under the sun{H8121}: there is a time{H6256} wherein one man{H120} ruleth{H7980}{(H8804)} over another to his own hurt{H7451}.
Coverdale Bible (1535)
All these thinges haue I considered, and applied my mynde vnto euery worke that is vnder the Sonne: how one man hath lordshipe vpon another to his owne harme.
Geneva Bible (1560)
All this haue I seene, and haue giuen mine heart to euery worke, which is wrought vnder the sunne, and I sawe a time that man ruleth ouer man to his owne hurt.
Bishops' Bible (1568)
All these thinges haue I considered, and applied my mynde vnto euery worke that is vnder the sunne, howe one man hath lordship vpon another to his owne harme.
Authorized King James Version (1611)
¶ 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 ruleth over another to his own hurt.
Webster's Bible (1833)
All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
All this I have seen so as to give my heart to every work that hath been done under the sun; a time that man hath ruled over man to his own evil.
American Standard Version (1901)
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 hath power over another to his hurt.
American Standard Version (1901)
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 hath power over another to his hurt.
Bible in Basic English (1941)
All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.
World English Bible (2000)
All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
Referenced Verses
- Eccl 5:8 : 8 The benefit of the land is for everyone; even a king depends on the field being cultivated.
- Eccl 5:13 : 13 Or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children, there is nothing left for them to inherit.
- Exod 14:5-9 : 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the Israelites. They said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and lost their services!” 6 So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, as well as all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers in charge of all of them. 8 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his horsemen, and his army—and they overtook them as they camped by the sea, near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.
- Exod 14:28 : 28 The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had chased the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
- Deut 2:30 : 30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through his land, for the LORD your God had hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, so that He might deliver him into your hands, as has now happened.
- 2 Kgs 14:10-12 : 10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant. Be content with your glory and stay at home. Why bring disaster on yourself and Judah as well?' 11 But Amaziah refused to listen. So Jehoash king of Israel advanced, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man fled to his home.
- 2 Kgs 25:7 : 7 The sons of Zedekiah were slaughtered before his eyes, and then his eyes were blinded. They bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
- Eccl 1:14 : 14 I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun; they are all meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- Eccl 3:10 : 10 I have seen the burden that God has laid on the human race.
- Eccl 4:7-8 : 7 Again, I turned and saw meaninglessness under the sun. 8 There was a man all alone. He had no son or brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless—a miserable business!
- Eccl 7:25 : 25 I turned my mind to understand, to investigate, and to search out wisdom and the meaning of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- 79%
13 I also saw this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
- 79%
1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is great upon humanity.
- Eccl 1:13-142 verses79%
13 I set my heart to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a burdensome task God has given to the human race to occupy themselves with!
14 I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun; they are all meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- Eccl 2:17-237 verses78%
17 So I hated life, because the work done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
18 I hated all my toil under the sun because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.
19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will rule over all the fruit of my labor that I have worked for under the sun. This too is meaningless.
20 So I turned my heart to despair over all the hard work with which I had labored under the sun.
21 For there is a person who labors with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but then must leave everything to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.
22 What does a person gain from all their labor and from the striving of their heart under the sun?
23 All their days are full of sorrow, and their work is filled with grief; even at night their mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
- Eccl 8:5-62 verses78%
5 Whoever obeys a command will avoid harm, and the heart of the wise person knows the right time and the right way.
6 For every purpose there is a proper time and procedure, though the misery of mankind weighs heavily upon them.
- 78%
1 So I reflected on all this and set my heart to examine it: that the righteous, the wise, and their deeds are in the hand of God. People do not know whether love or hatred awaits them; everything lies before them.
- 78%
3 This is the distressing thing about everything that happens under the sun: the same fate befalls all. Moreover, the hearts of humans are full of evil, and madness resides in their hearts during their lives; and after that, they join the dead.
- Eccl 2:10-123 verses77%
10 Anything my eyes desired, I did not withhold from them; I did not keep my heart from any pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, for this was my reward for all my efforts.
11 Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, behold, everything was meaningless—a chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.
12 So I turned my attention to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can anyone do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.
- Eccl 3:9-124 verses77%
9 What does the worker gain from all their toil?
10 I have seen the burden that God has laid on the human race.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to rejoice and to do good while they live.
- 77%
14 There is a futility that takes place on the earth: righteous people receive what the wicked deserve, and wicked people receive what the righteous deserve. I said, 'This too is vanity.'
- Eccl 8:10-112 verses77%
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who used to go in and out of the holy place, but now they are forgotten in the city where they acted this way. This too is meaningless.
11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do evil.
- 77%
1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that is done under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter. Power was on the side of their oppressors, and they had no comforter.
- 76%
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error that proceeds from a ruler:
- Eccl 4:3-42 verses76%
3 But better than both is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
4 And I saw that all toil and all skill in work are driven by one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- Eccl 3:16-183 verses76%
16 And I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well.
17 I said in my heart, 'God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.'
18 I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man, that God is testing them to show them that they are like animals.
- Eccl 8:16-172 verses76%
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to observe the work that is done on earth, even though people do not see sleep with their eyes day or night,
17 then I saw all the work of God, that no one can understand the work that is done under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can comprehend it. Even if the wise claim to know, they cannot truly understand it.
- Eccl 9:10-112 verses75%
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
11 Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor does bread come to the wise, nor riches to the discerning, nor favor to the knowledgeable; but time and chance happen to them all.
- 75%
22 So I saw that there is nothing better than for a person to rejoice in their work, for that is their lot. Who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
- 75%
13 Or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children, there is nothing left for them to inherit.
- 75%
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun following the youth, the second one, who replaces him.
- Eccl 7:14-152 verses75%
14 When times are good, be joyful; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
15 In my fleeting life, I have seen it all: The righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
- 74%
1 There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.
- Eccl 4:7-82 verses74%
7 Again, I turned and saw meaninglessness under the sun.
8 There was a man all alone. He had no son or brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless—a miserable business!
- 74%
3 What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
- 74%
9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
- 74%
15 Then I said in my heart, 'What happens to the fool will also happen to me. So why have I been so very wise?' And I concluded in my heart, 'This too is meaningless.'
- 73%
17 Then I set my heart to understand wisdom, as well as madness and folly, but I learned that this too is a chasing after the wind.
- 73%
8 No one has power over the wind to restrain it, and no one has power over the day of death. No one is discharged in the time of war, and wickedness will not save those who practice it.
- 73%
12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few days of their fleeting life? They pass like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?