Ecclesiastes 7:10
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
- KJV
- Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
- WEB
- Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
- ASV
- Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
- DARBY
- Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
- BLB
- Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For [it is] not from wisdom [that] you ask about this.
- ÅB
- Si ikke: Hvorav kommer det at de fremfarne dager var bedre enn de som nå er? For det er ikke av visdom du spør om det.
- OTB
- Spør ikke: "Hvorfor var de tidligere dager bedre enn disse?" For det er ikke klokt å spørre om slikt.
- B1930
- Si ikke: Hvorav kommer det at de fremfarne dager var bedre enn de som nu er? For det er ikke av visdom du spør om det.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 14:2–3
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
Read in contextGenesis 6:11–12
Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and full of violence.
Read in contextRomans 1:22–32
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
Read in contextIsaiah 50:1
This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
Read in contextJudges 6:13
“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders of which our fathers told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
Read in contextRomans 3:9–19
What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
Read in contextJeremiah 44:17–19
Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster.
Read in context