Stand in God's wisdom

Stand in God’s wisdom – Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

7 A good (precious) name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

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.

³ Sorrow (vexation of unmerited treatment, vexation of grief) is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance (face or presence) the heart is made better (causative – make well, used aright) .

⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth (glee, pleasure).

⁵ It is better to hear the rebuke (sharp criticism) of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

⁶ For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

⁷ Surely oppression (the act of oppression) maketh a wise man mad; and a gift (a bribe) destroyeth the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

¹⁰ Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

¹¹ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. Render: “Wisdom (is as) good as riches, and more advantageous to them that see the sun or are alive”.

¹² For wisdom is a defence (defense or shade), and money is a defence (defense or shade): but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life (future) to them that have it.

¹³ Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Stand in God’s wisdom