Obey Rulers
8 Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person’s wisdom illuminates his face and makes his stern face [a]brighten up.
2 I say, “Keep the [b]command of the king because of the oath [c]before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry [d]to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” 4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 One who keeps a royal command experiences no [e]trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him. 7 If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8 No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and evil will not save [f]those who practice it. 9 All this I have seen, and have applied my [g]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised authority over another person to his detriment.