Ecclesiastes 7:14

Ecclesiastes 7:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
• New King James Version (NKJV)In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

Context of Ecclesiastes 7:14

12For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. 13Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. 15In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. 16Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Ecclesiastes 7:14 word by word

בְּי֤וֹם טוֹבָה֙ הֱיֵ֣ה בְט֔וֹב וּבְי֥וֹם רָעָ֖ה רְאֵ֑ה גַּ֣ם אֶת־זֶ֤ה לְעֻמַּת־זֶה֙ עָשָׂ֣ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־דִּבְרַ֗ת שֶׁלֹּ֨א יִמְצָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם אַחֲרָ֖יו מְאֽוּמָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• In the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of prosperityטוֹבָהţôb · welfareH2896
• be joyfulטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
• of adversityרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
• considerרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: examineH7200
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• also hath setעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• the one over againstעֻמָּה‛ûmmâh · closeH5980
• the other, to the endדִּבְרָהdibrâh · causeH1700
• that manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• should findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• nothingמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:14

• Ecclesiastes 3:4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
• Deuteronomy 28:47Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,
• Psalms 30:11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
• Psalms 40:3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
• Matthew 9:13Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
• John 16:22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
• James 5:13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
• Deuteronomy 8:3And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
• 1 Kings 8:47yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, 'We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,'
• 1 Kings 17:17After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.
• 2 Chronicles 33:12And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
• Job 10:1"I loathe my life; I will give free utterance to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
• Psalms 94:12Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law,
• Psalms 119:71It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
• Isaiah 22:12In that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;
• Isaiah 26:11O Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed. Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14In the day of prosperity be joyful - When ye receive these temporal gifts from God, enjoy them, and be thankful to the Giver: but remember, this sunshine will not always last. God has balanced prosperity and adversity against each other; and were it not so, how many would put the former in the place of God himself!Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Good and prosperous days are in God‘s design special times of comfort and rejoicing: the days of affliction and trouble, are in God‘s design the proper seasons of recollection and serious consideration. The Providence of God hath so contrived it, that our good and evil days should be intermingled each with the other. This mixture of good and evil days is by the Divine Providence so proportioned, that it sufficiently justifies the dealings of God toward…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-22Verses 11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14Enjoying prosperity is good, but these gifts do not last. A wise person accepts God's control in everything (see Philippians 4:11–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. consider--resumed from Ec 7:13. "Consider," that is, regard it as "the work of God"; for "God has made (Hebrew, for 'set') this (adversity) also as well as the other (prosperity)." "Adversity" is one of the things which "God has made crooked," and which man cannot "make straight." He ought therefore to be "patient" (Ec 7:8). after him--equivalent to "that man may not find anything (to blame) after God" (that is, after "considering God's work," Ec…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:14

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Prosperity
• Thankfulness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Adversity
• Bosom
• Consider
• Crackling
• Living
• Rest
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• End

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