New International Version
Ecclesiastes 7:2
2It 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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 fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. 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. 3Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
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 48:1Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him.
- Genesis 49:2“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.
- Genesis 50:15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”
- Job 1:4His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
- Isaiah 5:11Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine.
- 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.
- Amos 6:3You put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of terror.
- Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Matthew 14:6On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much
- 1 Peter 4:3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
- Numbers 23:10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!”
- Deuteronomy 32:29If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be!
- Romans 6:21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
- Philippians 3:19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
- Hebrews 9:27Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
- Deuteronomy 32:46he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully 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
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