1 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity. 7 Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding. 8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Don't be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. 10 Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this. 11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. 13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him. 15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing. 16 Don't be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Don't be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don't withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all. 19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin. 21 Also don't take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you; 22 for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others. 23 All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me. 24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out? 25 I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness. 26 I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her. 27 "Behold, I have found this," says the Preacher, "one to another, to find out the scheme; 28 which my soul still seeks; but I have not found. One man among a thousand have I found; but I have not found a woman among all those. 29 Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes."
Eccl. 7 and Eccl. 10 show a striking resemblance to the style of the writer of the Book of Proverbs. Hereto the principal object has been to state the vanity of the conditions of human life: henceforth, the principal object will be to direct man how to conduct himself under those conditions.
The general drift of the writer's counsels throughout the last six chapters, and particularly in Eccl. 7:1-22, points to wisdom united with the fear of God as the "good for man in this life." It is illustrated by frequent reference to, and contrast with, that evil which consists of folly allied with wickedness.
The value of a good name, Ecclesiastes 7:1. Advantages of sorrow and correction, Ecclesiastes 7:2-5. The emptiness of a fool's joy, Ecclesiastes 7:6. Of oppression, Ecclesiastes 7:7. The end better than the beginning, Ecclesiastes 7:8. Against hastiness of spirit, Ecclesiastes 7:9. Comparison of former and present times, Ecclesiastes 7:10. Excellence of wisdom, Ecclesiastes 7:11, Ecclesiastes 7:12. Of the dispensations of Providence, Ecclesiastes 7:13-15. Against extremes, Ecclesiastes 7:16-18. The strength of wisdom, Ecclesiastes 7:19. Man is ever liable to sin and mistake, Ecclesiastes 7:20. We should guard our words, Ecclesiastes 7:21, Ecclesiastes 7:22. Difficulty of obtaining wisdom, Ecclesiastes 7:23-25, A bad woman dangerous, Ecclesiastes 7:26. There are few who are really upright, Ecclesiastes 7:27-29.
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, Ecclesiastes 7:1; frequent meditation on mortality, Ecclesiastes 7:2; listening to the rebukes of the wise, which are preferable to the songs and mirth of fools, Ecclesiastes 7:5; avoiding oppression and bribery, which are very pernicious, Ecclesiastes 7:7; patience under provocations, and present bad times, as thought to be, Ecclesiastes 7:8; a pursuit of that wisdom and knowledge which has life annexed to it, Ecclesiastes 7:11; submission to the will of God, and contentment in every state, Ecclesiastes 7:13; shunning extremes in righteousness and sin, the best antidote against which is the fear of God, Ecclesiastes 7:15; 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, Ecclesiastes 7:19; and then the wise man acknowledges the imperfection of his own wisdom and knowledge, notwithstanding the pains he had taken, Ecclesiastes 7:23; and laments his sin and folly in being drawn aside by women, Ecclesiastes 7:26; 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, Ecclesiastes 7:29.
(Ecclesiastes 7:1-6) The benefit of a good name; of death above life; of sorrow above vain mirth.
(Ecclesiastes 7:7-10) Concerning oppression, anger, and discontent.
(Ecclesiastes 7:11-22) Advantages of wisdom.
(Ecclesiastes 7:23-29) Experience of the evil of sin.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.