Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

[1] A good name  is better  ointment;  and the day  of death  than the day  of one's birth.  [2] It is better  to the house  of mourning,  to the house  of feasting:  for  that is the end  of all men;  and the living  will lay  it to his heart.  [3] Sorrow  is better  than laughter:  for by the sadness  of the countenance  the heart  is made better.  [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  so is the laughter  of the fool:  this also is vanity.  [7] Surely oppression  maketh a wise man  mad;  and a gift  destroyeth  the heart.  [8] Better  is the end  of a thing  than the beginning  thereof: and the patient  in spirit  is better  than the proud  in spirit.  [9] Be not hasty  in thy spirit  to be angry:  for anger  resteth  in the bosom  of fools.  [10] Say  not thou, What is the cause that the former  days  were better  than these? for thou dost not enquire  wisely  [11] Wisdom  is good  with an inheritance:  and by it there is profit  to them that see  the sun.  [12] For wisdom  is a defence,  and money  is a defence:  but the excellency  of knowledge  is, that wisdom  giveth life  to them that have  [13] Consider  the work  of God:  for who can  make that straight,  which he hath made crooked?  [14] In the day  of prosperity  but in the day  of adversity  consider:  God  also hath set  the one over against  the other, to the end  that man  should find  nothing  after 

What does Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

He began by exposing our ignorance of the significance of adversity and prosperity ( Ecclesiastes 7:1-14; cf. Job). Both of these conditions, he noted, can have good and bad effects-depending on how a person responds to them. Prosperity is not always or necessarily good (cf. Ecclesiastes 6:1-12), and adversity, or affliction, is not always or necessarily evil (cf. Ecclesiastes 7:1-15). Actually, adversity is often a greater good than prosperity. [1]
"With his sure touch the author now brings in a stimulating change of style and approach. Instead of reflecting and arguing, he will bombard us with Proverbs , with their strong impact and varied angles of attack." [2]