The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 8:1 Explained

Ecclesiastes 8:1

KJV: Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

YLT: Who is as the wise? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of man causeth his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Darby: Who is as the wise? and who knoweth the explanation of things? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.

ASV: Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who [is] as the wise  [man]? and who knoweth  the interpretation  of a thing?  a man's  wisdom  maketh his face  to shine,  and the boldness  of his face  shall be changed. 

What does Ecclesiastes 8:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

A wise man understands things that a fool does not. Moreover, he is able to behave appropriately. One"s facial and general appearances reflect wise behavior (cf. Numbers 6:25; Proverbs 7:13).

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 8:1 mean?

Who [is] like a wise [man] and who knows the interpretation of a thing wisdom of a man makes shine his face and the sternness of his face is changed
מִ֚י כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם וּמִ֥י יוֹדֵ֖עַ פֵּ֣שֶׁר ؟ דָּבָ֑ר חָכְמַ֤ת אָדָם֙ תָּאִ֣יר פָּנָ֔יו וְעֹ֥ז פָּנָ֖יו יְשֻׁנֶּֽא

מִ֚י  Who  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם  like  a  wise  [man] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
וּמִ֥י  and  who 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
יוֹדֵ֖עַ  knows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
פֵּ֣שֶׁר  the  interpretation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֵּשֶׁר  
Sense: interpretation, solution.
؟ דָּבָ֑ר  of  a  thing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
חָכְמַ֤ת  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
אָדָם֙  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
תָּאִ֣יר  makes  shine 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: to be or become light, shine.
פָּנָ֔יו  his  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וְעֹ֥ז  and  the  sternness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֹז  
Sense: might, strength.
פָּנָ֖יו  of  his  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְשֻׁנֶּֽא  is  changed 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁנָא 
Sense: to change, alter.