The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 8:4 Explained

Ecclesiastes 8:4

KJV: Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

YLT: Where the word of a king is power is, and who saith to him, 'What dost thou?'

Darby: because the word of a king is power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

ASV: For the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Where the word  of a king  [is, there is] power:  and who may say  unto him, What doest  thou? 

What does Ecclesiastes 8:4 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 8:4 mean?

Where the word of a king [is there is] power and who may say to him what are you doing
בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־ מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ ל֖וֹ מַֽה־ תַּעֲשֶֽׂה

בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר  Where 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
דְּבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
מֶ֖לֶךְ  of  a  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
שִׁלְט֑וֹן  [is  there  is]  power 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁלְטֹון  
Sense: mastery.
וּמִ֥י  and  who 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
יֹֽאמַר־  may  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ל֖וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
תַּעֲשֶֽׂה  are  you  doing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.