Ecclesiastes 9:7

Ecclesiastes 9:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
• New International Version (NIV)Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:7

5For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works. 8Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack oil. 9Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 word by word

לֵ֣ךְ אֱכֹ֤ל בְּשִׂמְחָה֙ לַחְמֶ֔ךָ וּֽשֲׁתֵ֥ה בְלֶב־ט֖וֹב יֵינֶ֑ךָ כִּ֣י כְבָ֔ר רָצָ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶֽת־מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃Read the interlinear

• eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899
• joyשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
• drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• alreadyכְּבָרkebâr · alreadyH3528
• acceptedרָצָהrâtsâh · to acceptH7521
• worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:7

• Genesis 12:19why saidst thou, She is my sister, so that I took her to be my wife? now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
• Mark 7:29And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone out of thy daughter.
• John 4:50Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way.
• Ecclesiastes 2:24There is nothing better for a manthanthat he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
• Ecclesiastes 3:12I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
• Ecclesiastes 5:18Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.
• Ecclesiastes 8:15Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 10:19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
• Deuteronomy 12:7and there ye shall eat before Jehovah your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee.
• Deuteronomy 16:14and thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
• 1 Kings 8:66On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that Jehovah had showed unto David his servant, and to Israel his people.
• 1 Chronicles 16:1And they brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God.
• 1 Chronicles 29:21And they sacrificed sacrifices unto Jehovah, and offered burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink-offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel,
• 2 Chronicles 30:23And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days; and they keptotherseven days with gladness.
• Nehemiah 8:10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.
• Genesis 4:4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy - Do not vex and perplex yourselves with the dispensations and mysteries of Providence; enjoy the blessings which God has given you, and live to his glory; and then God will accept your works.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Read these six verses connectedly, in order to arrive at the meaning of the writer; and compare Ecclesiastes 2:1-12. After the description Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 of the portionless condition of the dead, the next thought which occurs is that the man who is prosperous and active should simply enjoy his portion all through this life Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; and then Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 follows the correcting thought (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 note)…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 The most despicable living man's state, is preferable to that of the most noble who have died impenitent. Solomon exhorts the wise and pious to cheerful confidence in God, whatever their condition in life. The meanest morsel, coming from their Father's love, in answer to prayer, will have a peculiar relish. Not that we may set our hearts upon the delights of sense, but what God has given us we may use with wisdom. The joy here described, is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10Death will happen to everyone, but it is good to enjoy life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Addressed to the "righteous wise," spoken of in Ec 9:1. Being "in the hand of God," who now accepteth "thy works" in His service, as He has previously accepted thy person (Ge 4:4), thou mayest "eat ... with a cheerful (not sensually 'merry') heart" (Ec 3:13; 5:18; Ac 2:46).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:7

• Contentment

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Psalms, Book of
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wine; Wine Press
• Wisdom

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings