Ecclesiastes 7:1-6
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
A Disillusioned View of Life
7 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death, than the day of birth.(A)
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of everyone,
and the living will lay it to heart.(B)
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.(C)
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 to hear the song of fools.(D)
6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of fools;
this also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 7:1-6
International Standard Version
Lessons for Life
7 A good name exceeds the value of fine perfume,
and the day of someone’s death exceeds the value of[a] the day of his birth.
2 It’s better to attend a funeral[b]
than to attend a banquet,[c]
for everyone dies eventually,
and the living will take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
because the heart is made better through trouble.
4 For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning,
but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure.
5 It is better to listen to a wise person’s rebuke
than to listen to the praise[d] of fools.
6 For as thorns burn to heat a pot,
so also is the laughter of the fool—
even this is pointless.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:1 Lit. death than
- Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit. house of mourning
- Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit. house of feasting
- Ecclesiastes 7:5 Lit. song
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