The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 8:8 Explained

Ecclesiastes 8:8

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[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. 

What does Ecclesiastes 8:8 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 8:8 mean?

No one has power over the spirit to retain - the spirit and no one has power in the day of death and [There is] no release from that war and not will deliver wickedness those who are given to it
אֵ֣ין אָדָ֞ם שַׁלִּ֤יט בָּר֙וּחַ֙ לִכְל֣וֹא אֶת־ הָר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֤ין שִׁלְטוֹן֙ בְּי֣וֹם הַמָּ֔וֶת וְאֵ֥ין מִשְׁלַ֖חַת בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־ יְמַלֵּ֥ט רֶ֖שַׁע בְּעָלָֽיו

אֵ֣ין  No 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אָדָ֞ם  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
שַׁלִּ֤יט  has  power 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שַׁלִּיט  
Sense: having mastery, domineering, master.
בָּר֙וּחַ֙  over  the  spirit 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
לִכְל֣וֹא  to  retain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּלָא 
Sense: to restrict, restrain, withhold, shut up, keep back, refrain, forbid.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָר֔וּחַ  the  spirit 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
וְאֵ֤ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
שִׁלְטוֹן֙  has  power 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁלְטֹון  
Sense: mastery.
בְּי֣וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַמָּ֔וֶת  of  death 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  [There  is]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מִשְׁלַ֖חַת  release 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלַחַת  
Sense: discharge, sending, sending away, deputation.
בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה  from  that  war 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְמַלֵּ֥ט  will  deliver 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַט 
Sense: to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered.
רֶ֖שַׁע  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶשַׁע  
Sense: wrong, wickedness, guilt.
בְּעָלָֽיו  those  who  are  given  to  it 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּעַל 
Sense: owner, husband, lord.