Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Like The Wise

Ecclesiastes 8:1 Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the sternness of his face is changed.

Verse 1 has a few diverse renderings, depending upon what you’re reading from. The LXX translates the verse, “Who knows the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a saying?” The Tanakh renders the verse, “Who is like the wise man, and who knows the meaning of the adage:” The NIV has, “Who knows the explanation of things?” Oxford defines, “like,” as, “having the same characteristics as something else.” Who is similar in form and function to a genuine wise man?

The preacher goes on to define what constitutes a wise man. The wise man knows the interpretation of a thing. The LXX and the Tanakh both imply the idea that this “thing” is an adage, or saying. Adage is simply a synonym for proverb. So the preacher isn’t suggesting a specific thing, but a generalization here. The translators of the Tanakh, in fact, suggest that the saying in question is the latter portion of this verse, translated thus, “A man’s wisdom lights up his face, so that his deep discontent is dissembled.” This indeed does sound like a proverb similar to those written in the book bearing said name. To dissemble means to hide or disguise one’s motives or feelings. So the Tanakh’s rendering implies that the wise hide weighty emotion, in this instance discontent. 

We read of proverbs, “I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying (or riddle) on the harp,” Psalm 49:4. So like a riddle, a proverb is a pithy saying designed by the speaker to invoke contemplative thought. Furthermore, Solomon writes in Proverbs, “A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles,” Proverbs 1:5, 6.

The proverb or riddle as it were is the latter portion of the verse, addressing a man’s wisdom. Firstly, the preacher states that it makes the owner of wisdom’s face shine. Now, of course this is figurative. But expression is important, and in fact a man’s facial expression is precisely what the preacher is inferring here. Many times (but of course not always) an intelligent person wears an expression that is often contemplative. Thinking or pondering is something they have both power and pleasure in doing. We speak of someone who has sharp eyes, being observant or keen. An adroit mind is revealed on a face that glows with cumulative understanding and a desire to attain even more. The learned often like to learn. The teacher is in the best position to be a better student. Teachers, more than anyone, ought to recognize the limitations of their own expertise, and be willing to submit to tutelage from someone wiser in their field. When we do this, we mature, we gain, we grow in wisdom. Wisdom’s possession makes the face shine, as it were. Like a lighthouse is for ships about to be dashed upon the rocks, so too is the shining face of garnered wisdom to those in need. But of course, it takes the wise to accept wisdom, as much of a paradox as this may seem to be. How often, from lack of wisdom, have we all spurned sound counsel because it would frustrate our desires? And then those desires soured, pain or shame or frustration ensued, and it all might have been avoided had we practiced wisdom when someone who was wise told us it would be so.

My mother was often my “wise man.” She still is, but I have had the pleasure of meeting numerous wise men as I mature, and am grateful for every lesson they each impart to me; it betters me, and further serves to not only improve me, but will help me to improve others as I dispense freely what I have been given for free. Secondly, the sternness of one’s face is changed. Combined with the Tanakh’s rendering, this sternness could relate to a man’s deep discontent. Wisdom, the verse alludes, overrides discontent, and the face changes to reflect the passing storm of whatever was troubling is. We have already learned that wisdom can save one’s life, Ecclesiastes 7:12. Wisdom can also salvage our perspective; or rather wisdom elevates it. One’s expression is changed from sternness, correlating with frustration, pain or shame, to shining, expressing peace through understanding. Gaining wisdom is similar to Paul’s view of maturing spiritually in the NT. “Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine,” Ephesians 4:13, 14. We must leave behind childish things, which often correlate with foolishness, especially when such thinking permeates our adult thoughts. Wisdom is the solution. It will change our perception of things, and others’ perception of us.