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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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

12Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it. 13Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? 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. 15In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness. 16Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why 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 joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity,
• Psalms 30:11You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
• Psalms 40:3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
• Matthew 9:13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
• John 16:22So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
• James 5:13Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
• Deuteronomy 8:3He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
• 1 Kings 8:47and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;
• 1 Kings 17:17Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.
• 2 Chronicles 33:12In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.
• Job 10:1“I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.
• Psalms 94:12Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law;
• Psalms 119:71It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
• Isaiah 22:12The Lord, the Lord Almighty, called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth.
• Isaiah 26:11Lord, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for your enemies 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