KJV King James Version
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Ecclesiastes 8:11
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
WEB World English Bible
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
ASV American Standard Version
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
Because sentence hath not been done on an evil work speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of man is full within them to do evil.
Surrounding context — Ecclesiastes 8
8 [There is] no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither [hath he] power in the day of death: and [there is] no discharge in [that] war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
9 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.
10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this [is] also vanity.
11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his [days] be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just [men], unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked [men], to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also [is] vanity.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
אֲשֶׁר֙H834 · a.sherwhichאֵין־H369 · a.yinnothingנַעֲשָׂ֣הH6213 · a.sahto make: doפִתְגָ֔םH6599 · pit.gamedictמַעֲשֵׂ֥הH4639 · ma.a.sehdeed: workהָרָעָ֖הH7451 · rabad: harmfulמְהֵרָ֑הH4120 · me.he.rahhasteעַל־H5921 · aluponכֵּ֡ןH3651 · kenrightמָלֵ֞אH4390 · ma.leto fillלֵ֧בH3820 · levheartבְּֽנֵי־H1121 · benson: childהָאָדָ֛םH120 · a.dammanבָּהֶ֖םH9038 · hemthemלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתH6213 · a.sahto make: doרָֽע׃H7451 · rabad: harmful
Cross-references
Isaiah 26:10Let favour be shewed to the wicked, [yet] will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.Romans 2:4-5Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?Psalm 50:21-22These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether [such an one] as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes.2 Peter 3:3-10Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,Matthew 24:49-50And shall begin to smite [his] fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;Psalm 10:6He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for [I shall] never [be] in adversity.Jeremiah 48:11Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.Job 21:11-15They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.Exodus 8:15But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.Isaiah 5:18-19Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:Isaiah 57:11And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid [it] to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?Jeremiah 42:15And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;Exodus 8:32And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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