Ecclesiastes 8:8
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New International Version (©1984)
No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

New Living Translation (©2007)
None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.

English Standard Version (©2001)
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.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
No one has the power to prevent the spirit of life from leaving. No one has control over the day of his own death. There is no way to avoid the war [against death]. Wickedness will not save wicked people [from dying].

King James Bible
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

American King James Version
There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

American Standard Version
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.

Bible in Basic English
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
It is not in man's power to stop the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, neither is he suffered to rest when war is at hand, neither shall wickedness save the wicked.

Darby Bible Translation
There is no man who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

English Revised Version
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.

Webster's Bible Translation
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

World English Bible
There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.

Young's Literal Translation
There is no man ruling over the spirit to restrain the spirit, and there is no authority over the day of death, and there is no discharge in battle, and wickedness delivereth not its possessors.

Geneva Study Bible

There is no man that hath power {g} over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

(g) Man has no power to save his own life and therefore must not rashly cast himself into danger.

Wesley's Notes

8:8 To retain - To keep it in the body. This is added as another evidence of man's misery. No discharge - In that fatal conflict between life and death, when a man is struggling with death, though to no purpose, for death will be always conqueror. Neither - And although wicked men, who most fear death, use all possible means, to free themselves from it, yet they shall not escape it. The most subtle wickedness cannot outwit death, nor the most daring wickedness out - brave it.

King James Translators' Notes

discharge: or, casting off weapons

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. spirit-"breath of life" (Ec 3:19), as the words following require. Not "wind," as Weiss thinks (Pr 30:4). This verse naturally follows the subject of "times" and "judgment" (Ec 8:6, 7).

discharge-alluding to the liability to military service of all above twenty years old (Nu 1:3), yet many were exempted (De 20:5-8). But in that war (death) there is no exemption.

those . given to-literally, the master of it. Wickedness can get money for the sinner, but cannot deliver him from the death, temporal and eternal, which is its penalty (Isa 28:15, 18).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:6-8 God has, in wisdom, kept away from us the knowledge of future events, that we may be always ready for changes. We must all die, no flight or hiding-place can save us, nor are there any weapons of effectual resistance. Ninety thousand die every day, upwards of sixty every minute, and one every moment. How solemn the thought! Oh that men were wise, that they understood these things, that they would consider their latter end! The believer alone is prepared to meet the solemn summons. Wickedness, by which men often escape human justice, cannot secure from death.


Psalm 49:7 No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him--
Ecclesiastes 8:13 But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. (NASB ©1995)

Authority Battle Contain Control Death Deliver Discharge Discharged Evil Free Power Practice Restrain Retain Ruler Safe Sinner Spirit Time War Wickedness Wind

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

is no 3:21 2Sa 14:14 Job 14:5 34:14 Ps 49:6-9 89:48 Heb 9:27

power 1Co 15:43 2Co 13:4

discharge De 20:1-8 2Ki 7:15

neither Ps 9:17 52:5-7 73:18 Pr 14:32 Isa 28:15,18

Bible Gateway: Ecclesiastes Chapter 8 Verse 8 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: and As authority contain day death deliver discharge discharged evil has his in is it man No not of one or over power practice release restrain so the there those time to war who wickedness will wind with

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