Ecclesiastes 5:8
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
Ecclesiastes 5:8 in other translations
| BSB | If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. |
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| WEB | If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them. |
| ASV | If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they. |
| YLT | If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness thou seest in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones are over them. |
| DARBY | If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they. |
| BBE | If you see the poor under a cruel yoke, and law and right being violently overturned in a country, be not surprised, because one authority is keeping watch on another and there are higher than they. |
| Webster | If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perversion of judgment and justice in a province, wonder not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there are higher than they. |
What does Ecclesiastes 5:8 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:4-8
When a person made engagements rashly, he suffered his mouth to cause his flesh to sin. The case supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it would be wrong to fulfil it. Such mockery of God would bring the Divine displeasure, which might blast what was thus unduly kept. We are to keep down the fear of man. Set God before thee; then, if thou seest the oppression of…
Ecclesiastes 5:8 in the original Hebrew
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Ecclesiastes 5:8
- Psalms 12:5
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
- Ecclesiastes 4:1
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
- Ecclesiastes 3:16
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
- 1 Kings 21:19-20
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.
- Psalms 58:10-11
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
- Revelation 17:6-7
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
- Matthew 13:41-42
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
- Psalms 82:1
A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
- Psalms 55:9
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
- Psalms 83:18
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.
- Psalms 140:11-12
Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
- Zechariah 8:6
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:16; 4:1; Ps 12:5; 55:9; 58:11; Pr 8:17; Hab 1:2,3,13
marvel.
Zec 8:6; 1Jo 3:13; Re 17:6,7
matter. Heb. will, or purpose.
Isa 10:5-7,12; 46:10,11; Hab 1:12; Ac 4:27,28; Ro 11:33
for.
Isa 57:15; Lu 1:32,35,76
regardeth.
1Ki 21:19,20; Job 20:19-29; 27:8-23; Ps 10:17,18; 12:5; 58:10,11
Ps 82:1; 83:18; 140:11,12; Isa 3:15; 5:7; 59:13-16; Jer 22:17-19
Eze 22:6-14; Am 5:12; 6:2-6,12; 8:4-7; Mic 2:1-3,9; 3:1-4,9-12
Mic 6:10-13; Zec 7:9-13; Mal 3:5; Jas 2:13; 5:2-7
higher than they.
1Ch 21:15,16; Ps 95:3; Isa 37:36; Mt 13:41,42; Ac 12:7-10,23
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Ecclesiastes 5:7
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
- Ecclesiastes 5:9
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
Ecclesiastes 5:8 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Si violencias de pobres, y extorsión de derecho y de justicia vieres en la provincia, no te maravilles de esta licencia; porque alto está mirando sobre alto, y uno más alto está sobre ellos. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | La terre est profitable à tous égards, le roi même est asservi à la glèbe. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Wenn du die Bedrückung des Armen und den Raub des Rechts und der Gerechtigkeit in der Landschaft siehst, so verwundere dich nicht über die Sache; denn ein Hoher lauert über dem Hohen, und Hohe über ihnen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | et insuper universæ terræ rex imperat servienti. |