Ecclesiastes 7

Ecclesiastes · Chapter 7

Ecclesiastes 7:14

1A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.2It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.7Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.11Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.15All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:22For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.23All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?25I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:26And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:28Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
on a day ofבְּי֤וֹםbe-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

goodטוֹבָה֙to-VAHH2896C
welfare

טוֹבָה (to.vah) 1) welfare, benefit, good things 1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 1b) good things (collective) 1c) bounty

beהֱיֵ֣הhe-YEHH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

in goodבְט֔וֹבve-TOVH2896B
good

טוֹב (tov) 1) a good thing, benefit, welfare 1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 1b) good things (collective) 1c) good, benefit 1d) moral good

and on a day ofוּבְי֥וֹםu-ve-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

adversityרָעָ֖הra-'AHH7451C
distress: harm

רָעָה (ra.ah) : harm 1) evil, misery, distress, injury 1a) evil, misery, distress 1b) evil, injury, wrong 1c) evil (ethical)

considerרְאֵ֑הre-'EHH7200H
to see: see

רָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) …

alsoגַּ֣םgamH1571
also

גַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike

thisזֶ֤הzehH2088
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

to exactly asלְעֻמַּת־le-'u-mat-H5980
close

עֻמָּה (um.mah) 1) juxtaposition 1a) used only as a prep 1a1) close by, side by side with, alongside of, parallel with 1a2) agreeing with, corresponding to, exactly as, close beside 1a3) correspondingly to

thisזֶה֙zehH2088
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

he has madeעָשָׂ֣ה'a-SAHH6213H
to make

עֲבַד (a.vad) 1) to make, do 1a)(P'al) 1a1) to make, create 1a2) to do, perform 1b) (Ithp'al) 1b1) to be made into 1b2) to be done, be wrought, be performed, be executed, be carried out

the Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha-'E-lo-HIMH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

reasonדִּבְרַ֗תdiv-RATH1700
cause

דִּבְרָה (div.rah) cause, manner, reason Aramaic equivalent: div.rah (דִּבְרָה "cause" H1701)

that notשֶׁלֹּ֨אshe-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

he will find outיִמְצָ֧אyim-TZA'H4672
to find

מָצָא (ma.tsa) 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in …

the humankindהָֽאָדָ֛םha-'a-DAMH0120G
man

אָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley

after himאַחֲרָ֖יו'a-cha-RAVH0310A
after

אַחַר (a.char) 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after

anythingמְאֽוּמָה׃me-'U-mahH3972
anything

מְא֫וּמָה (me.u.mah) anything

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.