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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>. 7:23 I have examined <05254> all <03605> this <02090> by wisdom <02451>; I said <0559>, “I am determined <02449> to comprehend <02449> this <01931>”– but it was beyond <04480> my grasp <07350>.

• 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
• Ecc 7:23-24 -- Human Wisdom is Limited

• THORN IN THE FLESH

  [isbe] THORN IN THE FLESH - thorn (skolops te sarki): Paul thus characterizes some bodily ailment which afflicted him and impaired his usefulness (2 Cor 12:7). The data are insufficient to enable us to ascertain its real nature, an...
  

• Sanctification

  [ebd] involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles...
  

• 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...
  

• SORROW

  [isbe] SORROW - sor'-o (chebhel, yaghon, makh'obh, etc.; lupe): The Old Testament has very many words translated "sorrow," those named being the most frequent; in the New Testament "sorrow" is usually the translation of lupe (Lk 22...
  

• REST

  [isbe] REST - (nuach, menuchah, "cessation from motion," "peace," "quiet," etc.; anapausis, [@katapausis): "Rest" in the above sense is of frequent occurrence, and is the translation of several words with various applications and s...
  

• 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...
  

• PROLONG

  [isbe] PROLONG - pro-long' ('arakh, mashakh): "Prolong," "prolonged" are the translations of 'arakh, "to stretch," "to make long" (Dt 4:26, and frequently, "prolong days"; 4:40, etc.; Job 6:11 the King James Version; Prov 28:16; Ec...
  

• ORDER

  [isbe] ORDER - or'-der (`arakh, "to arrange"; tassein (> diatassein, taxis, tagma)): "Order" in Biblical phrases may indicate (1) arrangement in rows, (2) sequence in time, (3) classification and organization, (4) likeness or manne...
  

• 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,...
  

• LONGSUFFERING

  [isbe] LONGSUFFERING - long-suf'-er-ing ('erekh 'appayim; makrothumia): The words 'erekh 'appayim, translated longsuffering, mean literally, "long of nose" (or "breathing"), and, as anger was indicated by rapid, violent breathing t...
  

• 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...
  

• 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...
  

• 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...
  

• FIRE

  [isbe] FIRE - fir ('esh; pur): These are the common words for fire, occurring very frequently. 'Ur, "light" (Isa 24:15 the King James Version; compare the Revised Version (British and American); 31:9, and see FIRES), nur (Aramaic) ...
  

• EXCELLENCY

  [isbe] EXCELLENCY - ek'-se-len-si (ga-on, ga'awah; huperbole): "Excellency" in the Old Testament is chiefly the translation of ga'on, "mounting," "swelling" (Ex 15:7; Job 37:4 the King James Version; Ps 47:4 the King James Version;...
  

• 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...
  

• CROOKED

  [isbe] CROOKED - krook'-ed (`awah, `aqash, `aqalqal, `aqallathon, pethaltol; skolios): Primarily designates something that is bent, twisted or deformed (Isa 27:1; 45:2 the King James Version). Figurative: (1) It designates a course...
  

• COUNTENANCE

  [isbe] COUNTENANCE - koun'-te-nans: (1) The noun (see also under the word FACE) is the translation of a variety of Hebrew and Greek expressions, panim; prosopon, being the most frequent. Besides these there are found mar'eh, "appea...
  

• CANON OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, II

  [isbe] CANON OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, II - II. Examination of the Witnesses. 1. The Old Testament's Witness to Itself (circa 1450-444 BC): Though the Old Testament does not tell us anything about the processes of its own canonization,...
  

• BOTANY

  [isbe] BOTANY - bot'-a-ni. 1. General Characteristics of Palestinian Flora: On account of the great diversity in the climatic and topographical conditions Palestine is peculiarly rich in the variety of its flora--the best authority...
  

• What Is Wisdom?

  

• 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...
• 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...
• 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...

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