Ecclesiastes 7:10-20

10 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.

11 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

12 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and an advantage to them that see the sun.

13 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.

14 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?

15 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, , God also has caused the one to agree with the other for reason, that man should find nothing after him.

16 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.

17 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.

18 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.

19 It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth .

20 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Ecclesiastes 7:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

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.