A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, since that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart. Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad. The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure. It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools, for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile. Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the mind. The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools. Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these? ” since it is not wise of you to ask this. Wisdom is as good as an inheritance and an advantage to those who see the sun, because wisdom is protection as silver is protection; but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner. Consider the work of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked?
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Compare All Versions: Ecclesiastes 7:1-13
5 Days
Americans have always turned to the Bible for wisdom to live together. We argue over how to read and use it, but the Bible has helped shape our values and institutions. In this plan, you will read the Bible as a freedom text alongside five voices from our past, focused on the value of Hope. Discover fresh takes on the Bible, and inspiration for facing today’s challenges.
6 Days
We all have a common denominator. We will die. I will die. You will die. Death will defeat you. You won’t be able to dodge it, sidestep it, trick it or make it disappear. But then there is Jesus, the man who defeated the grave. Jesus stood toe to toe with the grave and defeated death. When Jesus talks, the grave speaks.
7 Days
We all have our little morning habits. We could also call them routines, the first things we do in the morning. Throughout these seven days, I’d like to propose a series about these first moments, these first actions, these first thoughts of our days. We will discover how we can create habits to develop our spiritual growth.
12 Days
God created us to find meaning in our lives. But we live in a broken world where we’re continually frustrated in our search. So, what’s the point of living life? This is the question the Teacher in Ecclesiastes is asking. At first, the message of this wisdom book seems to lead to despair, but in fact points to the hope of life found in God alone.
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