Ecclesiastes 7
Book: Ecclesiastes
PEOPLE GENERALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
WISDOM—ALTHOUGH VULNERABLE—IS BENEFICIAL
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
HUMANS MUST ACCEPT GOD’S WILL AND MAKE THE BEST OF IT
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.
THE LAW OF RETRIBUTION DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK—BUT IT DOES SOMETIMES
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
WISDOM IS VALUABLE, BUT NO ONE IS COMPLETELY RIGHTEOUS
ABSOLUTE WISDOM IS UNATTAINABLE
25 I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account;
28 which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.