Eclesiastes 5

Eclesiastes 5

Barclay - Fear in NT Words Page 226 Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. KJV Ecclesiastes 5:8 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. NKJ Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them. BGT Ecclesiastes 5:7 ἐὰν συκοφαντίαν πένητος καὶ ἁρπαγὴν κρίματος καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἴδῃς ἐν χώρᾳ μὴ θαυμάσῃς ἐπὶ τῷ πράγματι ὅτι ὑψηλὸς ἐπάνω ὑψηλοῦ φυλάξαι καὶ ὑψηλοὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς LXE Ecclesiastes 5:8 If thou shouldest see the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of judgment and of justice in the land, wonder not at the matter: for there is a high one to watch over him that is high, and high ones over them. NET Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them! CSB Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don't be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them. ESV Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. NIV Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. NLT Ecclesiastes 5:8 Don't be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. YLT Ecclesiastes 5:8 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 are over them. NJB Ecclesiastes 5:7 If in a province you see the poor oppressed, fair judgement and justice violated, do not be surprised, for over every official there watches a higher official, and over these, higher officials still. NRS Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and right, do not be amazed at the matter; for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. NAB Ecclesiastes 5:7 If you see oppression of the poor, and violation of rights and justice in the realm, do not be shocked by the fact, for the high official has another higher than he watching him and above these are others higher still--. GWN Ecclesiastes 5:8 Don't be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them. BBE Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see the poor under a cruel yoke, and law and right being violently overturned in a country, be not surprised, because one authority is keeping watch on another and there are higher than they. RSV Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see in a province the poor oppressed and justice and right violently taken away, do not be amazed at the matter; for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. see: Ec 3:16 4:1 Ps 12:5 55:9 58:11 Pr 8:17 Hab 1:2,3,13 do not be shocked: Zec 8:6 1Jn 3:13 Rev 17:6,7 at the sight: Heb. will, or purpose, Isa 10:5-7,12 46:10,11 Hab 1:12 Ac 4:27,28 Ro 11:33 for: Isa 57:15 Lu 1:32,35,76 watches over another official: 1Ki 21:19,20 Job 20:19-29 27:8-23 Ps 10:17,18 12:5 58:10,11 Ps 82:1 83:18 140:11,12 Isa 3:15 5:7 59:13-16 Jer 22:17-19 Eze 22:6-14 Am 5:12 6:2-6,12 8:4-7 Mic 2:1-3,9 3:1-4,9-12 Mic 6:10-13 Zec 7:9-13 Mal 3:5 Jas 2:13 5:2-7 over another official: 1Ch 21:15,16 Ps 95:3 Isa 37:36 Mt 13:41,42 Ac 12:7-10,23 Related Passages: Ecclesiastes 3:16-18+ - Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. 18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” One official watches over another THE BUREAUCRACY OF INJUSTICE Eccl 5:8-9 are not easy to interpret. Glenn writes 'The point of these verses and their connection with Solomon's argument has often been misconstrued because of erroneous interpretations of some enigmatic expressions in verses 8b-9. Though many other interpretations are possible, as is obvious from the diversity in various translations (e.g., kjv, nasb, niv), these verses probably refer to a hierarchy of corruption. This view, reflected in the NIV, seems to fit Solomon's overall argument in Ecc 5:1-6:9 best. (See Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament - Page 995) William Barrick - Ecclesiastes 5:8–20 focuses on the issue of money. Rulers and the oppression they sometimes practice relate directly to money or, more properly, lack of money. The rich and powerful often oppress the poor, because the poor cannot afford to defend themselves. Justice grinds too slowly, costing the poor an increasingly high amount of money. They cannot afford to wait in their situation and cannot afford financially to speed up the process. If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice (mishpat/mispat) and righteousness (tsedeq) in the province, do not be shocked at the sight -- NLT = "Don't be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land." (International Children's Version) "In some countries you will see poor people treated badly. They are not treated fairly or given their rights. Don't be surprised!" Solomon says do not be shocked, surprised, amazed or disillusioned by injustice in the world because this reflects the brokenness of human systems. Don't let the prevalence of injustice disturb your faith in God's sovereignty. Remember, God sees all, and His justice is ultimate and perfect. The root idea of oppression is to extort, exploit, or crush, especially through unjust practices. This oppression is often associated with economic injustice or abuse of the vulnerable (cf. Amos 4:1; Malachi 3:5). The Hebrew word for denial is (גֵּזֶל gezel) and the root idea is robbery, violence, or fraudulent withholding, so that it denotes active injustice, not just accidental oversight. For (term of explanation) one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. - NLT = "For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy." Another possible way to render it (International Children's Version) "One officer is cheated by a higher officer. They in turn are cheated by even higher officers." Human governments are layered and flawed, often reinforcing each other’s corruption rather than correcting it.