Eclesiastés 7

1 Mejor es el buen nombre que el buen ungüento; y el día de la muerte que el día del nacimiento

2 Mejor es ir a la casa del luto que a la casa del convite; porque aquello es el fin de todos los hombres; y el que vive se advertirá

3 Mejor es el pesar que la risa; porque con la tristeza del rostro se enmendará el corazón

4 El corazón de los sabios está en la casa del luto; mas el corazón de los locos, en la casa del placer

5 Mejor es oír la reprensión del sabio, que la canción de los locos

6 Porque la risa del loco es como el estrépito de las espinas debajo de la olla. Y también la risa o la prosperidad del loco es vanidad

7 Ciertamente la opresión hace enloquecer al sabio; y la dádiva corrompe el corazón

8 Mejor es el fin del negocio que su principio; mejor es el sufrido de espíritu que el altivo de espíritu

9 No te apresures en tu espíritu a enojarte; porque la ira reposa en el seno de los locos

10 Nunca digas: ¿Cuál es la causa de que los tiempos pasados fueran mejores que éstos? Porque nunca de esto preguntarás con sabiduría

11 Buena es la ciencia con herencia; y es la excelencia de los que ven el sol

12 Porque en la sombra de la ciencia, y en la sombra del dinero reposa el hombre; mas la sabiduría excede en que da vida a sus poseedores

13 Mira la obra de Dios; porque ¿quién podrá enderezar lo que él torció

14 En el día del bien goza del bien; y en el día del mal abre los ojos y aprende. Dios también hizo esto (el día del mal) delante de lo otro, para que el hombre no halle nada después de él

15 Todo lo he visto en los días de mi vanidad. Justo hay que perece por su justicia, y hay impío que por su maldad alarga sus días

16 No seas demasiado legalista ni muy sabio en tus propios ojos, ¿por qué te destruirás

17 No seas muy listo a condenar, ni seas loco; ¿por qué morirás en medio del hilo de tus empresas

18 Bueno es que tomes de esto, y también de aquello no apartes tu mano; porque el que a Dios teme, saldrá con todo

19 La sabiduría fortifica al sabio más que diez poderosos príncipes que haya en la ciudad

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

21 Tampoco apliques tu corazón a todas las cosas que se hablaren, para que no oigas a tu siervo que dice mal de ti

22 porque tu corazón sabe que tú también dijiste mal de otros muchas veces

23 Todas estas cosas probé con sabiduría, diciendo: Me haré sabio; mas ella se alejó de mí

24 Lejos está lo que fue; y lo muy profundo ¿quién lo hallará

25 Yo he rodeado con mi corazón por saber, y examinar, e inquirir la sabiduría, y la razón; y por saber la maldad de la locura, y el desvarío del error

26 y he hallado más amarga que la muerte a la mujer cuyo corazón es redes y lazos; y sus manos ligaduras. El que agrada a Dios escapará de ella; mas el pecador quedará preso en ella

27 He aquí, esto he hallado, dice el Predicador, pesando las cosas una por una para hallar la razón

28 lo que aún busca mi alma, y no encuentro: un hombre entre mil he hallado; mas mujer de todas éstas nunca hallé

29 He aquí, solamente he hallado esto: que Dios hizo al hombre recto, mas ellos buscaron muchas perversiones

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.