The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 8:3 Explained

Ecclesiastes 8:3

KJV: Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

YLT: Be not troubled at his presence, thou mayest go, stand not in an evil thing, for all that he pleaseth he doth.

Darby: Be not hasty to go out of his sight; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatever pleaseth him,

ASV: Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Be not hasty  to go out  of his sight:  stand  not in an evil  thing;  for he doeth  whatsoever pleaseth  him. 

What does Ecclesiastes 8:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 8

1  true wisdom is modest
2  Kings are to be respected
6  Divine providence is to be observed
12  It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity
16  The work of God is unsearchable

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 8:3 mean?

Not do be hasty from his presence to go not do take your stand for an thing evil for all whatever pleases him he does
אַל־ תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־ תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה

תִּבָּהֵ֤ל  do  be  hasty 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּהַל  
Sense: to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious, be afraid, be hurried, be nervous.
מִפָּנָיו֙  from  his  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
תֵּלֵ֔ךְ  to  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
תַּעֲמֹ֖ד  do  take  your  stand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
בְּדָבָ֣ר  for  an  thing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
רָ֑ע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יַחְפֹּ֖ץ  pleases  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָפֵץ 
Sense: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with.
יַעֲשֶֽׂה  he  does 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.