Ecclesiastes 7:8

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

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Ecclesiastes 7:8 in Other Translations

KJV

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

ESV

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

NLT

8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.

MSG

8 Endings are better than beginnings. Sticking to it is better than standing out.

CSB

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:8

Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof
If the thing is good, other ways the end of it is worse; as the end of wickedness and wicked men, whose beginning is sweet, but the end bitter; yea, are the ways of death, ( Proverbs 5:4 ) ( 16:25 ) ; and so the end of carnal professors and apostates, who begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh, ( Galatians 3:3 ) ( 2 Peter 2:20 2 Peter 2:21 ) ; but the end of good things, and of good men, is better than the beginning; as the end of Job was, both with respect to things temporal and spiritual, ( Job 8:7 ) ( 42:12 ) ; see ( Psalms 37:37 ) ( Matthew 10:22 ) ( Luke 16:25 ) ; [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit;
patience is a fruit of the Spirit of God; and is of great use in the Christian's life, and especially in bearing afflictions, and tends to make men more humble, meek, and quiet; and such are highly esteemed of God; on them he looks, with them he dwells, and to them he gives more grace; when such who are proud, and elated with themselves, their riches or righteousness, are abominable to him; see ( Luke 16:15 ) ( 18:14 ) .