Eclesiastés 7

1 Mejor es el buen nombre que el buen unguento, y el día de la muerte que el día del nacimiento.

2 Mejor es ir a una casa de luto que ir a una casa de banquete, porque aquello es el fin de todo hombre, y al que vive lo hará reflexionar en su corazón.

3 Mejor es la tristeza que la risa, porque cuando el rostro está triste el corazón puede estar contento.

4 El corazón de los sabios está en la casa del luto, mientras que el corazón de los necios está en la casa del placer.

5 Mejor es oír la reprensión del sabio que oír la canción de los necios.

6 Porque como crepitar de espinos bajo la olla, así es la risa del necio. Y también esto es vanidad.

7 Ciertamente la opresión enloquece al sabio, y el soborno corrompe el corazón.

8 Mejor es el fin de un asunto que su comienzo; mejor es la paciencia de espíritu que la altivez de espíritu.

9 No te apresures en tu espíritu a enojarte, porque el enojo se anida en el seno de los necios.

10 No digas: ¿Por qué fueron los días pasados mejores que éstos? Pues no es sabio que preguntes sobre esto.

11 Buena es la sabiduría con herencia, y provechosa para los que ven el sol.

12 Porque la sabiduría protege como el dinero protege; pero la ventaja del conocimiento es que la sabiduría preserva la vida de sus poseedores.

13 Considera la obra de Dios: porque ¿quién puede enderezar lo que El ha torcido?

14 Alégrate en el día de la prosperidad, y en el día de la adversidad considera: Dios ha hecho tanto el uno como el otro para que el hombre no descubra nada que suceda después de él.

15 He visto todo durante mi vida de vanidad: hay justo que perece en su justicia, y hay impío que alarga su vida en su perversidad.

16 No seas demasiado justo, ni seas sabio en exceso. ¿Por qué has de destruirte?

17 No seas demasiado impío, ni seas necio. ¿Por qué has de morir antes de tu tiempo?

18 Bueno es que retengas esto sin soltar aquello de tu mano; porque el que teme a Dios se sale con todo ello.

19 La sabiduría hace más fuerte al sabio que diez gobernantes que haya en una ciudad.

20 Ciertamente no hay hombre justo en la tierra que haga el bien y nunca peque.

21 Tampoco tomes en serio todas las palabras que se hablan, no sea que oigas a tu siervo maldecirte.

22 Porque tú también te das cuenta que muchas veces has maldecido a otros de la misma manera.

23 Todo esto probé con sabiduría, y dije: Seré sabio; pero eso estaba lejos de mí.

24 Está lejos lo que ha sido, y en extremo profundo. ¿Quién lo descubrirá?

25 Dirigí mi corazón a conocer, a investigar y a buscar la sabiduría y la razón, y a reconocer la maldad de la insensatez y la necedad de la locura.

26 Y hallé más amarga que la muerte a la mujer cuyo corazón es lazos y redes, cuyas manos son cadenas. El que agrada a Dios escapará de ella, pero el pecador será por ella apresado.

27 Miradice el Predicadorhe descubierto esto, agregando una cosa a otra para hallar la razón,

28 que mi alma está todavía buscando mas no ha hallado: He hallado a un hombre entre mil, pero mujer entre todas éstas no he hallado.

29 Mira, sólo esto he hallado: que Dios hizo rectos a los hombres, pero ellos se buscaron muchas artimañas.

Eclesiastés 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

The benefit of a good name; of death above life; of sorrow above vain mirth. (1-6) Concerning oppression, anger, and discontent. (7-10) Advantages of wisdom. (11-22) Experience of the evil of sin. (23-29)

Verses 1-6 Reputation for piety and honesty is more desirable than all the wealth and pleasure in this world. It will do more good to go to a funeral than to a feast. We may lawfully go to both, as there is occasion; our Saviour both feasted at the wedding of his friend in Cana, and wept at the grave of his friend in Bethany. But, considering how apt we are to be vain and indulge the flesh, it is best to go to the house of mourning, to learn the end of man as to this world. Seriousness is better than mirth and jollity. That is best for us which is best for our souls, though it be unpleasing to sense. It is better to have our corruptions mortified by the rebuke of the wise, than to have them gratified by the song of fools. The laughter of a fool is soon gone, the end of his mirth is heaviness.

Verses 7-10 The event of our trials and difficulties is often better than at first we thought. Surely it is better to be patient in spirit, than to be proud and hasty. Be not soon angry, nor quick in resenting an affront. Be not long angry; though anger may come into the bosom of a wise man, it passes through it as a way-faring man; it dwells only in the bosom of fools. It is folly to cry out upon the badness of our times, when we have more reason to cry out for the badness of our own hearts; and even in these times we enjoy many mercies. It is folly to cry up the goodness of former times; as if former ages had not the like things to complain of that we have: this arises from discontent, and aptness to quarrel with God himself.

Verses 11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no, not by a zeal for God. Be not conceited of thine own abilities; nor find fault with every thing, nor busy thyself in other men's matters. Many who will not be wrought upon by the fear of God, and the dread of hell, will avoid sins which ruin their health and estate, and expose to public justice. But those that truly fear God, have but one end to serve, therefore act steadily. If we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves. Every true believer is ready to say, God be merciful to me a sinner. Forget not at the same time, that personal righteousness, walking in newness of life, is the only real evidence of an interest by faith in the righteousness of the Redeemer. Wisdom teaches us not to be quick in resenting affronts. Be not desirous to know what people say; if they speak well of thee, it will feed thy pride, if ill, it will stir up thy passion. See that thou approve thyself to God and thine own conscience, and then heed not what men say of thee; it is easier to pass by twenty affronts than to avenge one. When any harm is done to us, examine whether we have not done as bad to others.

Verses 23-29 Solomon, in his search into the nature and reason of things, had been miserably deluded. But he here speaks with godly sorrow. He alone who constantly aims to please God, can expect to escape; the careless sinner probably will fall to rise no more. He now discovered more than ever the evil of the great sin of which he had been guilty, the loving many strange women, ( 1 Kings ) found. How was he likely to find such a one among those he had collected? If any of them had been well disposed, their situation would tend to render them all nearly of the same character. He here warns others against the sins into which he had been betrayed. Many a godly man can with thankfulness acknowledge that he has found a prudent, virtuous woman in the wife of his bosom; but those men who have gone in Solomon's track, cannot expect to find one. He traces up all the streams of actual transgression to the fountain. It is clear that man is corrupted and revolted, and not as he was made. It is lamentable that man, whom God made upright, has found out so many ways to render himself wicked and miserable. Let us bless Him for Jesus Christ, and seek his grace, that we may be numbered with his chosen people.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 7

The wise man having exposed the many vanities to which men are subject in this life, and showed that there is no real happiness in all outward enjoyments under the sun; proceeds to observe what are remedies against them, of which he had interspersed some few hints before, as the fear and worship of God, and the free and, moderate use of the creatures; and here suggests more, and such as will protect from them, or support under them, or teach and instruct how to behave while attended with them, and to direct to what are proper and necessary in the pursuit of true and real happiness; such as care of a good name and reputation, Ec 7:1; frequent meditation on mortality, Ec 7:2-4; listening to the rebukes of the wise, which are preferable to the songs and mirth of fools, Ec 7:5,6; avoiding oppression and bribery, which are very pernicious, Ec 7:7; patience under provocations, and present bad times, as thought to be, Ec 7:8-10; a pursuit of that wisdom and knowledge which has life annexed to it, Ec 7:11,12; submission to the will of God, and contentment in every state, Ec 7:13,14; shunning extremes in righteousness and sin, the best antidote against which is the fear of God, Ec 7:15-18; such wisdom as not to be offended with everything that is done, or word that is spoken, considering the imperfection of the best of men, the weakness of others, and our own, Ec 7:19-22; and then the wise man acknowledges the imperfection of his own wisdom and knowledge, notwithstanding the pains he had taken, Ec 7:23-25; and laments his sin and folly in being drawn aside by women, Ec 7:26-28; and opens the cause of the depravity of human nature, removes it from God, who made man upright, and ascribes it to man, the inventor of evil things, Ec 7:29.