New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 7:10
10Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise.
Context of Ecclesiastes 7:10
8The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools. Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this. 11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, And profitable to those who see the sun. 12For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
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 said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
- Jeremiah 44:17But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.
- Genesis 6:11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
- Psalms 14:2The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
- Isaiah 50:1Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.
- Romans 1:22Professing to be wise, they became fools,
- Romans 3:9What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries