Ecclesiastes 7:5

NETBible

It is better for a person to receive 1  a rebuke from those who are wise 2  than to listen to the song 3  of fools.

NIV ©

It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

NASB ©

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

NLT ©

It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool!

MSG ©

You'll get more from the rebuke of a sage Than from the song and dance of fools.

BBE ©

It is better to take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish.

NRSV ©

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

NKJV ©

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools.

KJV
[It is] better
<02896>
to hear
<08085> (8800)
the rebuke
<01606>
of the wise
<02450>_,
than for a man
<0376>
to hear
<08085> (8802)
the song
<07892>
of fools
<03684>_.
NASB ©
It is better
<2896>
to listen
<8085>
to the rebuke
<1606>
of a wise
<2450>
man
<2450>
Than
<4480>
for one
<376>
to listen
<8085>
to the song
<7892>
of fools
<3684>
.
LXXM
agayon
<18> 
A-NSN
to
<3588> 
T-NSN
akousai
<191> 
V-AAN
epitimhsin {N-ASF} sofou
<4680> 
A-GSM
uper
<5228> 
PREP
andra
<435> 
N-ASM
akouonta
<191> 
V-PAPAS
asma {N-ASN} afronwn
<878> 
A-GPM
NET [draft] ITL
It is better
<02896>
for a person
<0376>
to receive
<08085>
a rebuke
<01606>
from those who are wise
<02450>
than to listen
<08085>
to the song
<07892>
of fools
<03684>
.
HEBREW
Mylyok
<03684>
rys
<07892>
ems
<08085>
syam
<0376>
Mkx
<02450>
treg
<01606>
emsl
<08085>
bwj (7:5)
<02896>
NETBible

It is better for a person to receive 1  a rebuke from those who are wise 2  than to listen to the song 3  of fools.

NET Notes

1 tn Heb “hear.”

2 tn Heb “rebuke of the wise,” a subjective genitive (“the wise” administer the rebuke).

3 tn Or “praise.” The antithetical parallelism between “rebuke” (גַּעֲרַת, ga’arat) and “song” (שִׁיר, shir) suggests that the latter is figurative (metonymy of association) for praise/flattery which is “music” to the ears: “praise of fools” (NEB, NJPS) and “flattery of fools” (Douay). However, the collocation of “song” (שִׁיר) in 7:5 with “laughter” (שְׂחֹק, sÿkhoq) in 7:6 suggests simply frivolous merrymaking: “song of fools” (KJV, NASB, NIV, ASV, RSV, NRSV).