English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 7:2
2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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 take it to heart.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so the living should take this to heart.
Context of Ecclesiastes 7:2
1A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. 3Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 7Ecclesiastes 7:2 word by word
ט֞וֹב לָלֶ֣כֶת אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֗בֶל מִלֶּ֙כֶת֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר ה֖וּא ס֣וֹף כָּל־הָאָדָ֑ם וְהַחַ֖י יִתֵּ֥ן אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- to goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- of mourningאֵ֫בֶל'êbel · mourningH60
- of feastingמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
- forבַאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · in whichH834
- the endסוֹףsôph · endH5490
- of all menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- and the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
- will layנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- to his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:2
- Genesis 48:1After this, Joseph was told, "Behold, your father is ill." So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
- Genesis 49:2"Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.
- Genesis 50:15When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him."
- Job 1:4His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
- Isaiah 5:11Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!
- Isaiah 22:12In that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;
- Amos 6:3O you who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence?
- Matthew 5:4"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Matthew 14:6But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,
- 1 Peter 4:3For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
- Numbers 23:10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"
- Deuteronomy 32:29If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!
- Romans 6:21But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
- Philippians 3:19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
- Hebrews 9:27And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
- Deuteronomy 32:46he said to them, "Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2It is better to go to the house of mourning - Birthdays were generally kept with great festivity, and to these the wise man most probably refers; but according to his maxim, the miseries of life were so many and so oppressive that the day of a man's death was to be preferred to the day of his birth. But, in dependently of the allusion, it is much more profitable to visit the house of mourning for the dead than the house of festivity. In the former we find…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2That - Namely, what is seen in the house of mourning. Lay it to his heart - Consider it attentively.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4These proverbs are like the sayings in the Book of Proverbs.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Proving that it is not a sensual enjoyment of earthly goods which is meant in Ec 3:13; 5:18. A thankful use of these is right, but frequent feasting Solomon had found dangerous to piety in his own case. So Job's fear (Ec 1:4, 5). The house of feasting often shuts out thoughts of God and eternity. The sight of the dead in the "house of mourning" causes "the living" to think of their own "end."Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:2
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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