Ecclesiastes 8:6

6 Yes, there's a right time and way for everything, even though, unfortunately, we miss it for the most part.

Ecclesiastes 8:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 8:6

Because to every purpose there is time and judgment
There is a fit season, and a right and proper manner of doing everything that is to be done; see ( Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ) ; which a wise man discerns; and which when a man hits upon, it prevents a great deal of mischief, which for want of it comes upon men, as the following clause shows; some refer this to the punishment of the wicked, and to a future judgment. So the Targum,

``to every business there is a time good and evil, and according to the judgment of truth the whole world is judged;''
and to the same purpose Jarchi,
``there is a time fixed for the visitation of the wicked, and there is judgment before the Lord; this is vengeance or punishment;''
therefore the misery of man [is] great upon him;
he not observing the right time and manner of doing what he ought, brings much trouble upon himself; his days are few and full trouble, and every day has a sufficiency of evil in because of the evil of sin, the evil of misery presses upon him, and is a heavy burden on him Jarchi's note is,
``when the wickedness of a man is great, then cometh his visitation.''

Ecclesiastes 8:6 In-Context

4 The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, "What are you doing?"
5 Carrying out orders won't hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately.
6 Yes, there's a right time and way for everything, even though, unfortunately, we miss it for the most part.
7 It's true that no one knows what's going to happen, or when. Who's around to tell us?
8 No one can control the wind or lock it in a box. No one has any say-so regarding the day of death. No one can stop a battle in its tracks. No one who does evil can be saved by evil.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.