Ecclesiastes 8:9

New International Reader's Version

I understood all these things. I used my mind to study everything that’s done on earth. A man sometimes makes life hard for others. But he ends up hurting himself.

Cross References

2 Kings 25:7

Nebuchadnezzar’s men killed the sons of Zedekiah. They forced him to watch it with his own eyes. Then they poked out his eyes. They put him in bronze chains. And they took him to Babylon.

Exodus 14:28

The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen. It covered the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the people of Israel into the sea. Not one of the Egyptians was left.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I’ve seen what is done on this earth. All of it is meaningless. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 3:10

I’ve seen the heavy load God has put on human beings.

Ecclesiastes 3:16

Here’s something else I saw on earth. Where people should be treated right, they are treated wrong. Where people should be treated fairly, they are treated unfairly.

Ecclesiastes 4:1

I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth. I saw the tears of those who are suffering. They don’t have anyone to comfort them. Power is on the side of those who treat them badly. Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.

Ecclesiastes 5:13

I’ve seen something very evil on earth. It’s when wealth is stored up and then brings harm to its owners.

Ecclesiastes 5:7

Dreaming too much and talking too much are meaningless. So have respect for God.

Ecclesiastes 5:8

Suppose you see poor people being mistreated somewhere. And what is being done to them isn’t right or fair. Don’t be surprised by that. One official is watched by a higher one. Officials who are even higher are watching both of them.

Ecclesiastes 7:25

So I tried to understand wisdom more completely. I wanted to study it and figure it out. I tried to find out everything I could about it. I tried to understand why it’s foolish to be evil. I wanted to see why choosing foolishness is so unwise.

Ecclesiastes 7:7

When a wise person takes wealth by force, they become foolish. It is sinful to take money from people who want special favors.

Deuteronomy 2:30

But Sihon, the king of Heshbon, refused to let us walk through. The Lord your God had made him stubborn in his heart and spirit. The Lord wanted to hand him over to you. And that’s exactly what he has done.