Ecclesiastes 7

Wisdom and Folly Contrasted

1 A ¹good name is better than a good ointment, And the ²day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth.

2 It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the ³end of every man, And the living ⁴takes it to heart.

3 ⁵Sorrow is better than laughter, For ⁶when a face is sad a heart may be happy.

4 The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

5 It is better to ⁷listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

6 For as the crackling of ⁸thorn bushes under a pot, So is the ⁹laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.

7 For ¹⁰oppression makes a wise man mad, And a ¹¹bribe corrupts the heart.

8 The ¹²end of a matter is better than its beginning; ¹³Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

9 Do not be ¹⁴eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.

10 Do not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.

11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an ¹⁵advantage to those who see the sun.

12 For ¹⁶wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that ¹⁷wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

13 Consider the ¹⁸work of God, For who is ¹⁹able to straighten what He has bent?

14 ²⁰In the day of prosperity be happy, But ²¹in the day of adversity consider - God has made the one as well as the other So * that man will ²²not discover anything that will be after him.

15 I have seen everything during my ²³lifetime of futility; there is ²⁴a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is ²⁵a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

16 Do not be excessively ²⁶righteous and do not ²⁷be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you ²⁸die before your time?

18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let * go * of the other; for the one who ²⁹fears God comes forth with both of them.

19 ³⁰Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20 Indeed, ³¹there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

21 Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant ³²cursing you.

22 For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.

23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," ³³but it was far from me.

24 What has been is remote and ³⁴exceedingly mysterious. ³⁵Who can discover it?

25 I ³⁶directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.

26 And I discovered more ³⁷bitter than death the woman whose heart is ³⁸snares and nets, whose hands are chains. ³⁹One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but ⁴⁰the sinner will be captured by her.

27 "Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, "adding one thing to another to find an explanation,

28 which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a ⁴¹woman among all these.

29 "Behold, I have found only this, that ⁴²God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."

Ecclesiastes 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.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 22:1
• 2. Ecclesiastes 4:2; Ecclesiastes 7:8
• 3. Ecclesiastes 2:14, 16; Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20; Ecclesiastes 6:6; Ecclesiastes 9:2, 3
• 4. Psalms 90:12
• 5. Ecclesiastes 2:2
• 6. 2 Corinthians 7:10
• 7. Psalms 141:5; Proverbs 6:23; Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 15:31, 32; Proverbs 25:12; Ecclesiastes 9:17
• 8. Psalms 58:9; Psalms 118:12
• 9. Ecclesiastes 2:2
• 10. Ecclesiastes 4:1; Ecclesiastes 5:8
• 11. Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19; Proverbs 17:8, 23
• 12. Ecclesiastes 7:1
• 13. Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 16:32; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:2
• 14. Proverbs 14:17; James 1:19
• 15. Proverbs 8:10, 11; Ecclesiastes 2:13
• 16. Ecclesiastes 7:19; Ecclesiastes 9:18
• 17. Proverbs 3:18; Proverbs 8:35
• 18. Ecclesiastes 3:11; Ecclesiastes 8:17
• 19. Ecclesiastes 1:15
• 20. Deuteronomy 26:11; Ecclesiastes 3:22; Ecclesiastes 9:7; Ecclesiastes 11:9
• 21. Deuteronomy 8:5; Job 2:10
• 22. Ecclesiastes 3:22
• 23. Ecclesiastes 6:12; Ecclesiastes 9:9
• 24. Ecclesiastes 8:14
• 25. Ecclesiastes 8:12, 13
• 26. Proverbs 25:16; Philippians 3:6
• 27. Romans 12:3
• 28. Job 22:16; Psalms 55:23; Proverbs 10:27
• 29. Ecclesiastes 3:14; Ecclesiastes 5:7; Ecclesiastes 8:12, 13; Ecclesiastes 12:13
• 30. Ecclesiastes 7:12; Ecclesiastes 9:13-18
• 31. 1 Kings 8:46; 2 Chronicles 6:36; Psalms 143:2; Proverbs 20:9; Romans 3:23
• 32. Proverbs 30:10
• 33. Ecclesiastes 3:11; Ecclesiastes 8:17
• 34. Romans 11:33
• 35. Job 11:7; Job 37:23; Ecclesiastes 8:17
• 36. Ecclesiastes 1:15, 17; Ecclesiastes 10:13
• 37. Proverbs 5:4
• 38. Proverbs 7:23
• 39. Proverbs 6:23, 24
• 40. Proverbs 22:14
• 41. 1 Kings 11:3
• 42. Genesis 1:27

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e. death
• [b]. Lit "gives"
• [c]. Lit "his heart"
• [d]. Lit "heart"
• [e]. Lit "heart"
• [f]. Lit "voice"
• [g]. Lit "destroys"
• [h]. Lit "hasty in your spirit"
• [i]. Lit "in a shadow"
• [j]. Lit "in a shadow"
• [k]. Lit "days"
• [l]. Lit "rest your hand"
• [m]. Lit "all"
• [n]. Lit "give your heart to"
• [o]. Lit "your heart knows also"
• [p]. Lit "deep"
• [q]. Lit "turned about"
• [r]. Lit "heart"
• [s]. Lit "my soul still seeks"

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.