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7:1 A good <02896> reputation <08034> is better <02896> than precious perfume <08081>; likewise, the day <03117> of one’s death <04194> is better than the day <03117> of one’s birth <03205>. 7:2 It is better <02896> to go <01980> to <0413> a funeral <060> than a feast <04960>. For <0834> death <01931> is the destiny <05490> of every <03605> person <0120>, and the living <02416> should take <05414> this to <0413> heart <03820>. 7:3 Sorrow <03708> is better <02896> than laughter <07814>, because <03588> sober reflection <07455> is good <03190> for <06440> the heart <03820>. 7:4 The heart <03820> of the wise <02450> is in the house <01004> of mourning <060>, but the heart <03820> of fools <03684> is in the house <01004> of merrymaking <08057>. 7:5 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>. 7:6 For <03588> like the crackling <06963> of quick-burning thorns <05518> under <08478> a cooking pot <05518>, so <03651> is the laughter <07814> of the fool <03684>. This <02088> kind of folly also <01571> is useless <01892>. 7:7 Surely oppression <06233> can turn a wise person <02450> into a fool <01984>; likewise, a bribe <04979> corrupts <06> the heart <03820>. 7:8 The end <0319> of a matter <01697> is better <02896> than its beginning <07225>; likewise, patience <07307> <0750> is better <02896> than pride <07307> <01362>. 7:9 Do not <0408> let yourself be quickly <0926> provoked <03707>, for <03588> anger <03708> resides <05117> in the lap <02436> of fools <03684>. 7:10 Do not <0408> say <0559>, “Why <04100> were <01961> the old <07223> days <03117> better <02896> than these <0428> days?” for <03588> it is not <03808> wise <02451> to ask <07592> that <02088>. 7:11 Wisdom <02451>, like an inheritance <05159>, is a good <02896> thing; it benefits <03148> those who see <07200> the light of day <08121>. 7:12 For <03588> wisdom <02451> provides protection <06738>, just as money <03701> provides protection <06738>. But the advantage <03504> of knowledge <01847> is this: Wisdom <02451> preserves the life <02421> of its owner <01167>. 7:13 Consider <07200> the work <04639> of God <0430>: For <03588> who <04310> can <03201> make straight <08626> what <0834> he has bent <05791>? 7:14 In times <03117> of prosperity <02896> be <01961> joyful, but in times <03117> of adversity <07451> consider <07200> this <02088>: God <0430> has made <06213> one as <01571> well <05980> as the other <02088>, so that <01700> no <03808> one <0120> can discover <04672> what the future <0310> holds <03972>. 7:15 During the days <03117> of my fleeting life <01892> I have seen <07200> both of these things <03605>: Sometimes <03426> a righteous person <06662> dies prematurely <06> in spite of his righteousness <06664>, and sometimes <03426> a wicked person <07563> lives long <0748> in spite of his evil <07451> deeds. 7:16 So do not <0408> be <01961> excessively <07235> righteous <06662> or <0408> excessively <03148> wise <02449>; otherwise <04100> you might be disappointed <08074>. 7:17 Do not <0408> be excessively <07235> wicked <07561> and do not <0408> be <01961> a fool <05530>; otherwise <04100> you might die <04191> before <03808> your time <06256>. 7:18 It is best <02896> to take hold <0270> of one warning <02088> without <0408> letting <01571> go <03027> <03240> of the other warning <02088>; for <03588> the one who fears <03373> God <0430> will follow <0854> <03318> both <03605> warnings. 7:19 Wisdom <02451> gives <05810> a wise <02450> person more protection <05810> than ten <06235> rulers <07989> in a city <05892>. 7:20 For <03588> there is not one <0369> truly righteous <06662> person <0120> on the earth <0776> who <0834> continually does <06213> good <02896> and never <03808> sins <02398>. 7:21 Also <01571>, do not <0408> pay <05414> attention <03820> to everything <01697> <03605> that <0834> people say <01696>; otherwise, you might even hear <08085> your servant <05650> cursing <07043> you. 7:22 For <03588> you know <03045> in your own heart <03820> that <0834> you <0859> also <01571> have cursed <07043> others <0312> many <07227> times <06471>.

• Ecc 7:1-4 -- Life is Brief and Death is Certain!
• Ecc 7:5-6 -- Frivolous Living Versus Wisdom
• Ecc 7:7-10 -- Human Wisdom Overturned by Adversity
• Ecc 7:11-12 -- Wisdom Can Lengthen One's Life
• Ecc 7:13-14 -- Wisdom Acknowledges God's Orchestration of Life
• Ecc 7:15-18 -- Exceptions to the Law of Retribution
• Ecc 7:19-22 -- Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous

• Philosophy

  [nave] PHILOSOPHY The nature of things, Eccl. 1-7. A philosophical inquiry on wisdom, Job. 28. Philosophical inductions and deductions relating to God and his providence, Job 5:8-20; 9; 10:2-21; 12:6-24; 33:12-30; 37. Reveals th...
  

• Life

  [nave] LIFE. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Brevity and Uncertainty of; Everlasting; From God; Long; Spiritual. Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics Breath of, Gen. 2:7. Called Spirit of God, Job 27:3. Tree of,...
  

• Instruction

  [nave] INSTRUCTION From nature, Prov. 24:30-34; Eccl. 1:13-18; 3; 4:1; Matt. 6:25-30. See: Parables. From the study of human nature, Eccl. 3-12. By Object Lessons: The pot of maa, Ex. 16:32. The pillar of twelve stones at the f...
  

• Wisdom

  [isbe] WISDOM - wiz'-dum: 1. Linguistic 2. History 3. Religious Basis 4. Ideals 5. Teaching of Christ 6. Remainder of the New Testament (1) James (2) Paul 7. Hypostasis LITERATURE 1. Linguistic: In the Revised Version (British and ...
  [nave] WISDOM Of Joseph, Gen. 41:16, 25-39; Acts 7:10. Of Moses, Acts 7:22. Of Bezaleel, Ex. 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1. Of Aholiab, Ex. 31:6; 35:34, 35; 36:1; of other skilled artisans, Ex. 36:2; of women, Ex. 35:26. Of Hiram, 1 K...
  

• FOOL; FOLLY

  [isbe] FOOL; FOLLY - fool nabhal, 'ewil, kecil, cakhal and forms; aphron, aphrosune, moros): I. In the Old Testament. 1. General: Taking the words generally, apart from the Wisdom literature, we find nabhal frequently translated "f...
  

• Afflictions and Adversities

  [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...
  

• Patience

  [isbe] PATIENCE - pa'-shens (hupomone, makrothumia): "Patience" implies suffering, enduring or waiting, as a determination of the will and not simply under necessity. As such it is an essential Christian virtue to the exercise of w...
  [nave] PATIENCE. Psa. 37:7-9; Prov. 15:18; Eccl. 7:8, 9; Lam. 3:26, 27; Luke 8:15; Luke 21:19; Rom. 2:7; Rom. 5:3, 4; Rom. 8:25; Rom. 12:12; Rom. 15:4, 5; 1 Cor. 13:4, 5; 2 Cor. 6:4-6; 2 Cor. 12:12; Gal. 6:9; Eph. 4:1, 2; Col. 1:1...
  

• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures

  [nave] AMUSEMENTS AND WORLDLY PLEASURES Belong to the works of the flesh, Gal. 5:19, 21; are transitory, Job 21:12, 13; Heb. 11:25; vain, Eccl. 2:11; choke the word of God in the heart, Luke 8:14; formed a part of idolatrous worshi...
  

• Death

  [nave] DEATH. Called in some versions &ld;Giving Up the Ghost,&rd; Gen. 25:8; 35:29; Lam. 1:19; Acts 5:10. King of Terrors Job 18:14. A Change Job 14:14. Going to your Fathers Gen. 15:15; 25:8; 35:29. Putting Off This Tabe...
  

• Bereavement

  [nave] BEREAVEMENT From God, Ex. 12:29; Hos. 9:12. Mourning in, forbidden to Aaron, on account of his son's wickedness, Lev. 10:6; and to Ezekiel, for his wife, Ezek. 24:16-18. Instances of Abraham, of Sarah, Gen. 23:2. Jacob, ...
  

• Prudence

  [nave] PRUDENCE. Job 34:3, 4; Psa. 39:1; Psa. 112:5; Prov. 6:1, 2; Prov. 8:12; Prov. 11:13, 15, 29; Prov. 12:8, 23; Prov. 13:16; Prov. 14:8, 15, 16, 18; Prov. 15:5, 22; Prov. 16:20, 21; Prov. 17:2, 18; Prov. 18:15, 16; Prov. 19:2;...
  

• SPIRIT

  [isbe] SPIRIT - spir'-it (ruach; pneuma; Latin, spiritus): 1. Primary and Figurative Senses (1) As Wind, Breath (2) As Anger or Fury (3) As Mental and Moral Qualities in Man 2. Shades of Meaning (1) As Life-Principle (2) As Survivi...
  

• Oppression

  [isbe] OPPRESSION - o-presh'-un: Used in the King James Version to translate a variety of Hebrew words, all of which, however, agree in the general sense of wrong done by violence to others. There are a few cases where the referenc...
  [nave] OPPRESSION God is a refuge from, Psa. 9:9. Prayers against, Psa. 17:9; 44:24; 119:121,134; Isa. 38:14. God's aid promised against, Psa. 12:5; 72:4, 14; Jer. 50:34. God will judge, Psa. 103:6; Eccl. 5:8; Isa. 10; Jer. 22:1...
  

• Riches

  [nave] RICHES. Deut. 6:10-12; Deut. 8:10-18; Deut. 31:20; Deut. 32:15; 1 Sam. 2:7; Psa. 37:16; Prov. 10:2, 22; Prov. 11:4, 28; Prov. 13:7, 8; Prov. 14:24; Prov. 15:6, 16, 17; Prov. 16:8; Prov. 19:4; Prov. 21:6; Prov. 23:4, 5; Prov...
  

• END

  [isbe] END - (qets, 'ephec, kalah; telos, sunteleo): The end of anything is its termination, hence, also, final object or purpose. It is the translation of several Hebrew and Greek words, chiefly in the Old Testament of qets (prope...
  

• God

  [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...
  

• FUEL

  [ebd] Almost every kind of combustible matter was used for fuel, such as the withered stalks of herbs (Matt. 6:30), thorns (Ps. 58:9; Eccl. 7:6), animal excrements (Ezek. 4:12-15; 15:4, 6; 21:32). Wood or charcoal is much used sti...
  [isbe] FUEL - fu'-el ('okhlah, or ma'akholeth, "food"): Is mentioned specifically only in the Old Testament, in Isa 9:5,19; Ezek 15:4,6; 21:32. Its general, literal meaning in these connections is "food for fire," and might include...
  

• Joy

  [nave] JOY Attributed to God, Deut. 28:63; 30:9; Jer. 32:41. In heaven, Luke 15:10-32. See: Shouting. Unclassified Scriptures Relating to Deut. 12:18; 1 Sam. 2:1; 1 Chr. 16:27; 2 Chr. 7:10; Ezra 6:22; Neh. 8:10, 12; Neh. 12:43;...
  

• Justice

  [nave] JUSTICE. Ex. 23:1-3, 6-8; Lev. 19:13-15; Deut. 16:18-20; Deut. 25:1-4; Ezra 7:26; Psa. 72:1, 2; Psa. 82:2-4; Prov. 17:15, 26; Prov. 18:5, 17; Prov. 20:8; Prov. 22:27; Prov. 24:23; Prov. 28:21; Prov. 29:26; Eccl. 3:16, 17; E...
  

• Perfection

  [nave] PERFECTION Ascribed to Noah, Gen. 6:8, 9; Jacob, Num. 23:21; David, 1 Kin. 11:4, 6; Asa, 1 Kin. 15:14; Job, Job 1:1; Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke 1:6; Nathanael, John 1:47. Unclassified Scriptures Relating to Gen. 17:1; D...
  

• What Is Wisdom?

  

• Is It Possible for One to Be Over-righteous ?
  Commentators interpret the phrase "righteous overmuch" (Ecc 7:16) as descriptive of religious presumption; of that self-made righteousness which would lay the greatest stress upon outward performances and would claim personal...
• Why Is It Wrong to Harbor Angry Feelings?
  God forbids it (Ecc. 7:9; Matt. 5:22; Rom. 12:19); it is a characteristic of fools and a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20; Prov. 12:16; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 27:3; Ecc. 7:9). Anger is connected with pride, cruelty, clamorous and evi...
• Why la It Wrong to Harbor Angry Feelings?
  God forbids it (Ecc. 7:9; Matt. 5:22; Rom. 12:19); it is a characteristic of fools and a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20; Prov. 12:16; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 27:3; Ecc. 7:9). Anger is connected with pride, cruelty, clamorous and evi...

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