EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 7:10
10Do not say, ‘Everything was a lot better in the past.’ Those are not wise thoughts.
Ecclesiastes 7:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Context of Ecclesiastes 7:10
8If you finish some work, that is better than to start something new. It is better to be patient than to be proud. 9Control your angry thoughts. Only fools allow their anger to continue. Do not say, ‘Everything was a lot better in the past.’ Those are not wise thoughts. 11It is good to have wisdom, like money that you receive from your father. Wisdom helps everyone who lives. 12Both wisdom and money can keep you safe. But wisdom is better. If you are wise, your knowledge can save your life.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 7Ecclesiastes 7:10 word by word
אַל־תֹּאמַר֙ מֶ֣ה הָיָ֔ה שֶׁ֤הַיָּמִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים הָי֥וּ טוֹבִ֖ים מֵאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֛י לֹ֥א מֵחָכְמָ֖ה שָׁאַ֥לְתָּ עַל־זֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:10
- Judges 6:13Gideon replied, ‘But sir, if the Lord is with us, why has all this trouble happened to us? Our ancestors told us about all the great things that the Lord did for them. They told us how he brought them safely out of Egypt. But the Lord has not helped us like that. He has turned away from us. He has put us under the power of the Midianites.’
- Jeremiah 44:17So we will continue to do what we have promised to do. We will make sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven. We will pour out drink offerings to her. That is what our ancestors, our kings and our leaders did when we lived in Jerusalem and in the other towns of Judah. When we did that, we had plenty of food to eat. We enjoyed a good life and we had no troubles.
- Genesis 6:11God saw that everything on the earth had become spoiled. Everywhere, people were attacking each other.
- Psalms 14:2The Lord is looking down from heaven. He looks at the people of the world, to see if there are any wise people among them. He looks to see if anyone wants to know God.
- Isaiah 50:1This is what the Lord says to his people: ‘Did I send your mother away, like a man sends away his wife? Where is the paper to say why I have sent her away? Did I sell you to pay people that I was in debt to? Where is the paper that shows the reason for my debt? Listen! I sold you because of your sins. I sent your mother away because you have not obeyed me.
- Romans 1:22They said that they were wise, but really they became fools.
- Romans 3:9So then, what do we learn from that? We cannot say that we Jews are better than other people. No, certainly we cannot say that! I have said already that sin has power over everyone. That is true for both Jews and Gentiles.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The former days were better than these? - This is a common saying; and it is as foolish as it is common. There is no weight nor truth in it; but men use it to excuse their crimes, and the folly of their conduct. "In former times, say they, men might be more religious, use more self-denial, be more exemplary." This is all false. In former days men were wicked as they are now, and religion was unfashionable: God also is the same now as he was then; as just…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 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 we have more reason to cry…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22God's control over everything is serious, but it gives us hope.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Do not call in question God's ways in making thy former days better than thy present, as Job did (Job 29:2-5). The very putting of the question argues that heavenly "wisdom" (Margin) is not as much as it ought made the chief good with thee.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7
- 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
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