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.
I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
Comment: The first four lines above seem to have been more wisely put into chapter 7 which is all about wisdom! By ‘face’ I take it means more than just his facial look but his ‘character’ look as well. It allows one to find answers or accept situations and be ‘at peace’.
The next bit makes me think hard. I presume that the king of olden days is probably better considered as ‘government’. Is our relationship to government the same as it was for Israelites to their king? What does ‘Do not take your stand in an evil cause.’ mean? The governments of our and many countries give rise to laws which appear to me to be ‘evil causes’. Should I be ‘against’ or ‘ accept’ them? The passage is talking about the authoritarian nature of the king and almost seems to suggest unswerving devotion to his command. Who can question him? The end where Solomon writes ‘All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.’ doesn’t give me all the answers which I seek but it ends on the note that the king (government), and every person, may find that he has used his authority to his own hurt! The power in authority and we people are responsible for how we live!
Prayer: Please help me to discern the wisdom and purpose of Your Word to me, as I read it humbly seeking wisdom from above.
As I read it! 