Ecclesiastes 7:9-19

9 Don't become angry quickly, because getting angry is foolish.

10 Don't ask, "Why was life better in the 'good old days'?" It is not wise to ask such questions.

11 Wisdom is better when it comes with money. They both help those who are alive.

12 Wisdom is like money: they both help. But wisdom is better, because it can save whoever has it.

13 Look at what God has done: No one can straighten what he has bent.

14 When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember: God gives good times and hard times, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring.

15 In my useless life I have seen both of these: I have seen good people die in spite of their goodness and evil people live a long time in spite of their evil.

16 Don't be too right, and don't be too wise. Why destroy yourself?

17 Don't be too wicked, and don't be foolish. Why die before your time?

18 It is good to grab the one and not let go of the other; those who honor God will hold them both.

19 Wisdom makes a person stronger than ten leaders in a city.

Ecclesiastes 7:9-19 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.