7:1-4This seems to contradict Solomon's previous advice to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in one’s work—to enjoy what God has given. We are to enjoy what we have while we can but realize that adversity also strikes. Adversity reminds us that life is short, teaches us to live wisely, and refines our character. Christianity and Judaism see value in suffering and sorrow. The Greeks and Romans despised it; Eastern religions seek to live above it; but Christians and Jews see it as a refining fire. Most would agree that we learn more about God from difficult times than from happy times. Do you try to avoid sorrow and suffering at all cost? See your struggles as great opportunities to learn from God.
Life Application Study BibleEcclesiastesChapter 7
Ecclesiastes 7
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1068, 1069
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
7Ecclesiastes 7
1And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
2Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.
3Sorrow is better than laughter,for sadness has a refining influence on us.
4A wise person thinks a lot about death,while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
5Better to be criticized by a wise personthan to be praised by a fool.
6A fool’s laughter is quickly gone,like thorns crackling in a fire.This also is meaningless.
7Extortion turns wise people into fools,and bribes corrupt the heart.
8Finishing is better than starting.Patience is better than pride.
9Control your temper,for anger labels you a fool.
10Don’t long for “the good old days.”This is not wise.
11Wisdom is even better when you have money.Both are a benefit as you go through life.
12Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,but only wisdom can save your life.
13Accept the way God does things,for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
14Enjoy prosperity while you can,but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
The Limits of Human Wisdom
1515I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people. 16So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? 17On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time? 18Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.* 19One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town! 20Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. 21Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you.??For you know how often you yourself have cursed others. 23I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work. 24Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find. 25 searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness. 26I discovered that a seductive woman* is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion isa snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare. 27“This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle. 28Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman!
29But I did findthis: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own down-ward path.”81 How wonderful to be wise,to analyze and interpret things.Wisdom lights up a person’s face,
Textual footnotes
- 7:18 Or will follow them both.
- 7:26 Hebrew a woman, 8:10 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek version;
Life Application Notes 8 notes
7:2,4Many people avoid thinking about death, refuse to face it, and are reluctant to attend funerals. Sotomon is not encouraging us to think morbidly, but he knows that it is helpful to think clearly about death. It reminds us that we still have time to change, time to examine the direction of our lives, and time to confess our sins and find forgiveness from God. Because everyone will eventually die, it makes sense to plan ahead to experience God's mercy rather than his justice.
7:7Money talks, and it can confuse those who would otherwise judge fairly. We hear about bribes given to judges, police officers, and witnesses. Bribes are given to hurt those who tell the truth and help those who oppose it. People who are involved in extortion or take bribes are indeed foals, no matter how wise they thought they were beforehand. It is said that everyone has a price, but those who are truly wise cannot be bought at any price.
7:8To finish what we start takes hard work, wisdom, self-discipline, and patience. Anyone with vision can start a big project. But vision without wisdom will result in unfinished projects and goals.
7:14God allows both good times and bad times to come to everyone. He blends them in our lives in such a way that we can't predict the future or count on human wisdom and power. We usually give ourselves the credit for the good times. Then in bad times, we tend to blame God without thanking him for the good that comes out of it. When life appears certain and controllable, don’t let self-satisfaction or complacency make you too comfortable, or God may allow bad times to drive you back to him. When life seems uncertain and uncontrollable, don’t despair—God is in control and will bring good results out of your struggles.
7:16-18How can a person be too good or too wise? This is a warning against pride—legalism or false righteousness. Solomon was saying that some people become so good or wise in their own eyes that they become deluded by their awn religious acts. They are so rigid or narrow in their views that they lose their sensitivity to the true reason for being good—to honor God. Balance is important. God created us to be whole people who seek his righteousness and goodness. Thus, we should avoid both extremes of legalism and immorality.
7:23-25Solomon, the wisest man in the world, confesses how difficult it has been to act and think wisely. He emphasizes that no matter how much we know, some mysteries we will never understand. So thinking you have wisdom is a sure sign that you don’t.
7:27,28Did Solomon think women were not capable of being virtuous (wise and good)? No, because in the book of Proverbs he personified wisdom as a responsible woman. The point of Solomon's statement is not that women are unwise, but that hardly anyone, man or woman, is upright before God. In his search, Solomon found that goodness and wisdom were almost as scarce among men as among women, even though men were given a religious education program in his culture and women were not. In effect, the verse is saying, “I have found only one in a thousand people who is wise in God's eyes. No, I have found even fewer than that!”