Ecclesiastes 7:10
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Ecclesiastes 7:10 in other translations
| BSB | Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this. |
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| 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. |
| YLT | Say not thou, ‘What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this. |
| DARBY | Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. |
| BBE | Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom. |
| Webster | Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. |
What does Ecclesiastes 7:10 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7:7-10
The event of our trials and difficulties is often better than at first we thought. Surely it is better to be patient in spirit, than to be proud and hasty. Be not soon angry, nor quick in resenting an affront. Be not long angry; though anger may come into the bosom of a wise man, it passes through it as a way-faring man; it dwells only in the bosom of fools. It is folly to cry out upon the badness of our times, when…
Ecclesiastes 7:10 in the original Hebrew
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Cross references for Ecclesiastes 7:10
- Psalms 14:2-3
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
- Genesis 6:11-12
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
- Romans 1:22-32
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. …
- Isaiah 50:1
Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
- Judges 6:13
And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
- Romans 3:9-19
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. …
- Jeremiah 44:17-19
But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jud 6:13; Jer 44:17-19
wisely. Heb. out of wisdom.
Ge 6:11,12; Ps 14:2,3; Isa 50:1; Ro 1:22-32; 3:9-19
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Ecclesiastes 7:9
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
- Ecclesiastes 7:10
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
- Ecclesiastes 7:11
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
Ecclesiastes 7:10 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Nunca digas: ¿Qué es la causa que los tiempos pasados fueron mejores que éstos? Porque nunca de esto preguntarás con sabiduría. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Ne dis pas: Comment se fait-il que les jours précédents ont été meilleurs que ceux-ci? car ce n’est pas par sagesse que tu t’enquiers de cela. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Sprich nicht: Wie ist es, daß die früheren Tage besser waren als diese? Denn nicht aus Weisheit fragst du danach. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Ne sis velox ad irascendum, quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit. |