Ecclesiastes 5:8
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“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.”
A short, plain-language explanation of Ecclesiastes 5:8 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“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.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“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.”
King James Version · Public Domain“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.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“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 <FI>are<Fi> over them.”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Ecclesiastes 5:8 — 24 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Kings 21:19Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”
- 1 Chronicles 21:15Then God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented from the calamity, and He said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand now!” At that time the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
- 2 Chronicles 26:10Since he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns. And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hill country and in the fertile fields.
- Job 20:19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
- Job 24:23He gives them a sense of security, but His eyes are on their ways.
- Job 27:8For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
- Psalms 10:17You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
- Psalms 12:5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
- Psalms 55:9O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
- Psalms 58:10The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Psalms 82:1God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:
- Psalms 83:18May they know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are Most High over all the earth.
- Psalms 95:3For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.
- Psalms 140:11May no slanderer be established in the land; may calamity hunt down the man of violence.
- Proverbs 8:17I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
- Ecclesiastes 3:16Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
- Ecclesiastes 4:1Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
- Isaiah 3:15Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
- Isaiah 5:7For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.
- Isaiah 10:5Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath.
- Isaiah 10:12So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes.
- Isaiah 37:36Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!
- Isaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
- Isaiah 57:15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).