Ecclesiastes chapter 8

vs 9

The alternate translation is not really helpful, changing the meaning totally as it does. The NASB does a great job of making the translation vague. Someone is getting hurt, at any rate, by the exercising of authority by one man over another.

vs 10

Now here the alternate translation is showing the real difference between the NIV tradition and the KJV tradition - where the NIV accepts what they think are the most accurate manuscripts, and the KJV tradition accepts whatever is in majority. Going with the NIV, we have the idea that the wicked went into the holy place, came out again, and receive praise. He died, but not because of entering the holy place. It's meaningless because he was wicked, received praise for it, then died and was buried.

vs 11

Think about what this is actually saying. It is saying that if you wait to punish people, they are more likely to do wrong. Well, God does not execute punishment quickly. He waits for a long time. Sometimes the person dies first. Are we then surprised that people continue to scheme and do wrong things, knowing that there punishment might be a long time coming?

vs 12

This is the whole truth - God gets them in the end. He lets them become fully wicked, to pass that point of no return. That sounds awful, but some people have a huge tolerance of what they think they can achieve and still be an okay person. I think we know as Christians that God is quite happy to let people steep themselves so deeply in sin that they realise they can't dig themselves out, and that only God can help them.

But there are still those who turn their back on God, and though they might have long lives and seem wealthy and even successful, Qoheleth is sure, in his wisdom, that those who fear God will get the better deal.

vs 13

He says this, knowing fully that wicked people do live for a long time sometimes. Sure, many times the life of the wicked person is one with the sword of Damocles hanging above, which can cut it short at any minute. But sometimes the sword never strikes. So we have to read an eternal context into this to make it more than just proverbial wisdom, which would ultimately be futile, even in Qoheleth's view.

vs 14

Everyone has seen this. It's not just that people get unjustly arrested while criminals get off scot free (a la Shawshank Redemption). It's that criminals get rich, famous and treated specially, while righteous people end up poor, sick, friendless etc. Scoundrels can be incredibly popular and successful. But note that this is meaningless.

vs 15

Qoheleth's solution to the futility of life is fairly simple. Enjoy what you have. He's repeated this several times now. Even the righteous person, in the face of total unfairness, can still enjoy whatever little they have, because they have the joy of God. Enjoyment is not something that comes easily, according to Qoheleth. Only God gives it. So the righteous are as likely to have it as not, regardless of their situation. Sure, wisdom and wealth help, and the author acknowledges that. But at the end of the day it's God who awards happiness, like he awards everything else.

vs 16

This is entirely a build up clause. I'm not actually sure how much work people could do at night. I suppose you had to burn lots of torches.

vs 17

It's just too much. I really have to learn to live by this statement. I would love to look at the world and compartmentalise everything and say, "Yes, this fits into my understanding. It's all gone on just as I thought it would, because I have such a great understanding of how the world works." But that's just bollocks. I don't even know how they make my shoes. More than that, though, my way of looking at the world is regularly disturbed by innacuracy.

Some people might say, "Ahh, but I have God's wisdom, so everything fits into my worldview perfectly, because it is correct." Best of luck to you on that, mate. But I'll bet that even God acts in ways that are surprising to you, and that don't fit into your systematic theology. I'm not saying that systematic theology is not a worthwhile pursuit, only that it will always be wrong.