The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 8:5 Explained

Ecclesiastes 8:5

KJV: Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

YLT: Whoso is keeping a command knoweth no evil thing, and time and judgment the heart of the wise knoweth.

Darby: Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart knoweth time and manner.

ASV: Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Whoso keepeth  the commandment  shall feel  no evil  thing:  and a wise man's  heart  discerneth  both time  and judgment. 

What does Ecclesiastes 8:5 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 8:5 mean?

He who keeps his command nothing will experience thing harmful and both time and judgment And discerns heart of a wise man
שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם

שׁוֹמֵ֣ר  He  who  keeps 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִצְוָ֔ה  his  command 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
לֹ֥א  nothing 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵדַ֖ע  will  experience 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
דָּבָ֣ר  thing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
רָ֑ע  harmful 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְעֵ֣ת  and  both  time 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט  and  judgment 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
יֵדַ֖ע  And  discerns 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
לֵ֥ב  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
חָכָֽם  of  a  wise  man 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).