Ecclesiastes 8:1
New International Version
Who is like the wise? Who knows the explanation of things? A person’s wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance.

New Living Translation
How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness.

English Standard Version
Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Berean Standard Bible
Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

King James Bible
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

New King James Version
Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, And the sternness of his face is changed.

New American Standard Bible
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 brighten up.

NASB 1995
Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.

NASB 1977
Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.

Legacy Standard Bible
Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines his face and causes his stern face to beam.

Amplified Bible
Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines his face, And causes his stern face to beam.

Christian Standard Bible
Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A person’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

American Standard Version
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Who is like The Wise One and who knows the interpretation of the Word? The wisdom of a man will enlighten his face, and he whose face is shameless will be hated

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who knows the wise? and who knows the interpretation of a saying? A man's wisdom will lighten his countenance; but a man of shameless countenance will be hated.

Contemporary English Version
Who is smart enough to explain everything? Wisdom makes you cheerful and gives you a smile.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance, and the most mighty will change his face.

English Revised Version
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Who is really wise? Who knows how to explain things? Wisdom makes one's face shine, and it changes one's grim look.

Good News Translation
Only the wise know what things really mean. Wisdom makes them smile and makes their frowns disappear.

International Standard Version
Who is really wise? Who knows how to interpret this saying: "A person's wisdom improves his appearance, softening a harsh countenance."

JPS Tanakh 1917
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, And the boldness of his face is changed.

Literal Standard Version
Who [is] as the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of man causes his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Majority Standard Bible
Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

New American Bible
Who is like the wise person, and who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom illumines the face and transforms a grim countenance.

NET Bible
Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person's wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.

New Revised Standard Version
Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? Wisdom makes one’s face shine, and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed.

New Heart English Bible
Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Webster's Bible Translation
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

World English Bible
Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Young's Literal Translation
Who is as the wise? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of man causeth his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Obey the King
1Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed. 2Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.…

Cross References
Romans 13:5
Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

Exodus 34:29
And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.

Exodus 34:30
Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him.

Deuteronomy 28:50
a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young.

Proverbs 21:29
A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.


Treasury of Scripture

Who is as the wise man? and who knows the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom makes his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

as the

Ecclesiastes 2:13,14
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness…

1 Corinthians 2:13-16
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual…

who knoweth

Genesis 40:8
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

Genesis 41:15,16,38,39
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it…

Job 33:23
If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:

a man's

Exodus 34:29,30
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him…

Proverbs 4:8,9
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her…

Proverbs 17:24
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

and the

Deuteronomy 28:50
A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:

Acts 4:13,29
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus…

Ephesians 6:19
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

boldness

2 Timothy 4:17
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

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Appearance Beam Boldness Brightens Causes Causeth Changed Changes Clear Countenance Explanation Face Hard Hardness Illumines Interpretation Makes Maketh Matter Sense Shine Shining Stern Wisdom Wise
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Ecclesiastes 8
1. true wisdom is modest
2. Kings are to be respected
6. Divine providence is to be observed
12. It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity
16. The work of God is unsearchable














VIII.

(1) This verse in praise of wisdom can be connected either with what precedes or what follows. (See Hosea 14:9.)

Interpretation.--The word occurs elsewhere in the Chaldee parts of Daniel.

Boldness.--Impudence is removed from the countenance. See Proverbs 7:13; Proverbs 21:29; Ecclesiasticus 13:25. . . .

Verses 1-9. - Section 5. There is no use in repining or rebelling; true wisdom counsels obedience to the powers that be, and submission to the dispensations of Providence. However oppressive a tyrant may prove sure retribution awaits him. Verse 1. - Who is as the wise man? i.e. Who is like, equal to, the wise man? The somewhat sudden question occurs naturally after the results of the search for wisdom mentioned at the end of the last chapter. The thought is not, as in Hosea 14:9 and Jeremiah 9:12, "Who is wise?" but - No one Call be compared with a wise man; he has no compeer. And who [like him] knoweth the interpretation of a thing? Who, so well as the wise man, understands the proper relation of circumstances, sees into human affairs and God's dispensations in the case of nations and individuals? Such a one takes the right view of life. The word pesher, "interpretation," occurs (peshar) continually in Daniel, and nowhere else and is Chaldaic. The Vulgate, which connects these two clauses with Ecclesiastes 7, renders, Quis cognovit solutionem verbi? So the Septuagint. The "word" or "saying" may be the question proposed above Concerning the happy life, or the proverb that immediately follows. But dabar is better rendered "thing," as Ecclesiastes 1:8; Ecclesiastes 7:8. A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine; Septuagint, φωτιεῖ, "will enlighten, illuminate." The serene light within makes itself visible in the outward expression; the man is contented arid cheerful, and shows this in his look and bearing. This is an additional praise of wisdom. Thus Ecclus. 13:25, 26, "The heart of man changeth his countenance, whether it be for good or evil. A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity." Cicero, 'De Orat.,' 3:57, "Omnes enim motus animi suum quemdam a natura habet vultum et sonum et gestum; corpusque totum homiuis et ejus omnis vultus omnesque voces, ut nervi in fidibus, ita sonant, ut motu animi quoque sunt pulsae." And the boldness of his face shall be changed. The word translated "boldness" is עֹז, which means properly "strength," and is best taken of the coarseness and impudence engendered by ignorance and want of culture. Wisdom, when it fills the heart, changes the countenance to an open genial look, which wins confidence and love. Delitzsch refers to the well-worn lines of Ovid, 'Epist.,' 2:9. 47 -

"Adde, quod ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes
Emollit mores, nec sinit esse feros."
The Septuagint, "And a man shameless in countenance will be hated," shows an alteration in the text, and does not agree with the context. Vulgate, Et potentissimus faciem illius commutabit, "And the Almighty will change his face," where again the text is not accurately followed.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Who
מִ֚י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

is like the wise man?
כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם (kə·he·ḥā·ḵām)
Preposition-k, Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2450: Wise

Who
וּמִ֥י (ū·mî)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

knows
יוֹדֵ֖עַ (yō·w·ḏê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

the interpretation
פֵּ֣שֶׁר (pê·šer)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6592: Solution, interpretation

of a matter?
דָּבָ֑ר (dā·ḇār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

A man’s
אָדָם֙ (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

wisdom
חָכְמַ֤ת (ḥā·ḵə·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2451: Wisdom

brightens
תָּאִ֣יר (tā·’îr)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 215: To be or become light

his face,
פָּנָ֔יו (pā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

and the sternness
וְעֹ֥ז (wə·‘ōz)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5797: Strength, might

of his face
פָּנָ֖יו (pā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

is changed.
יְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃ (yə·šun·ne)
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8132: To change


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 8:1 Who is like the wise man? (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 7:29
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