Ecclesiastes 8:7 bbe — No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?

Bible in Basic English

"No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?"

— Ecclesiastes 8:7, Bible in Basic English

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Ecclesiastes 8:7 in Other Translations

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Ecclesiastes 8 — Context

4

The word of a king has authority; and who may say to him, What is this you are doing?

5

Whoever keeps the law will come to no evil: and a wise man's heart has knowledge of time and of decision.

6

For every purpose there is a time and a decision, because the sorrow of man is great in him.

7

No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?

8

No man has authority over the wind, to keep the wind; or is ruler over the day of his death. In war no man's time is free, and evil will not keep the sinner safe.

9

All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.

10

And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

Ecclesiastes 8:7 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ecclesiastes 8:7 say?
Ecclesiastes 8:7 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?”
Where is Ecclesiastes 8:7 in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 8:7 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 8, verse 7.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional; identified as "the Preacher, son of David"). It was written c. 940 BC.
What is the book of Ecclesiastes about?
Ecclesiastes is a candid meditation on life "under the sun" — its pleasures, its pains, and its apparent vanity. The Preacher tries wisdom, wealth, work, and pleasure, finds them all empty without God, and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole of man.
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes explores themes including Vanity, Time, Meaning, Fear of God, Mortality. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ecclesiastes 8:7.
What translation should I read Ecclesiastes 8:7 in?
Ecclesiastes 8:7 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ecclesiastes 8:7?
Ecclesiastes 8:7 reads (BBE): “No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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