Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. New Living Translation Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. English Standard Version Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. Berean Standard Bible Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart. King James Bible Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. New King James Version Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. New American Standard Bible Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. NASB 1995 Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. NASB 1977 Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. Legacy Standard Bible Better is vexation than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be merry. Amplified Bible Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad (deep in thought) the heart may be happy [because it is growing in wisdom]. Christian Standard Bible Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad. Holman Christian Standard Bible Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad. American Standard Version Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad. Aramaic Bible in Plain English Grief is better than laughter, because in the sadness of the face the heart will improve Brenton Septuagint Translation Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better. Contemporary English Version Choose sorrow over laughter because a sad face may hide a happy heart. Douay-Rheims Bible Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected. English Revised Version Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad. GOD'S WORD® Translation Sorrow is better than laughter because, in spite of a sad face, the heart can be joyful. Good News Translation Sorrow is better than laughter; it may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding. International Standard Version Sorrow is better than laughter, because the heart is made better through trouble. JPS Tanakh 1917 Vexation is better than laughter; For by the sadness of the countenance the heart may be gladdened. Literal Standard Version Better [is] sorrow than laughter, | For by the sadness of the face the heart becomes better. Majority Standard Bible Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart. New American Bible Sorrow is better than laughter; when the face is sad, the heart grows wise. NET Bible Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart. New Revised Standard Version Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad. New Heart English Bible Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good. Webster's Bible Translation Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. World English Bible Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good. Young's Literal Translation Better is sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh better. Additional Translations ... Context The Value of Wisdom…2It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart. 3Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance 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.… Cross References 2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, "It is folly," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?" Ecclesiastes 7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. Treasury of Scripture Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. sorrow is better Psalm 119:67,71 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word… Psalm 126:5,6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy… Jeremiah 31:8,9,15-20 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither… by Romans 5:3,4 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; … 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; Hebrews 12:10,11 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness… Jump to Previous Better Countenance Face Gets Glad Gladdened Good Happy Heart Joy Laughter Mind Sad Sadness Sorrow VexationJump to Next Better Countenance Face Gets Glad Gladdened Good Happy Heart Joy Laughter Mind Sad Sadness Sorrow VexationEcclesiastes 7 1. remedies against vanity are, a good name2. mortification 7. patience 11. wisdom 23. The difficulty of wisdom (3) Sadness of the countenance.--Genesis 40:7; Nehemiah 3:3. "Anger" (margin). This is the usual meaning of the word, and so in Ecclesiastes 7:9. It is accordingly adopted here by the older translators, but the rendering of our version is required by the context.Verse 3. - Sorrow is better than laughter. This is a further expansion of the previous maxim, כַּעַס (kaas), as contrasted with שְׂהוק, is rightly rendered "sorrow," "melancholy," or, as Ginsburg contends, "thoughtful sadness." The Septuagint has θυμός, the Vulgate ira; but auger is not the feeling produced by a visit to the house of mourning. Such a scene produces saddening reflection, which is in itself a moral training, and is more wholesome and elevating than thoughtless mirth. For by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The feeling which shows itself by the look of sadness (comp. Genesis 40:7; Nehemiah 2:2) has a purifying effect on the heart, gives a moral tone to the character. Professor Tayler Lewis renders the clause, "For in the sad. ness of the face the heart becometh fair;" i.e. sorrow beautifies the soul, producing, as it were, comeliness, spiritual beauty, and, in the end, serener happiness. The Vulgate translates the passage thus: Melter eat ira risu; quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus deliquentis, "Better is anger than laughter, because through sadness of countenance the mind of the offender is corrected." The anger is that either of God or of good men which reproves sin; the laughter is that of sinners who thus show their connivance at or approval of evil. There can be no doubt that this is not the sense of the passage. For the general sentiment concerning the moral influence of grief and suffering, we may compare the Greek sayings, Τὰ παθήματα μαθήματα, and Τί μαθών τί παθών; which are almost equivalent in meaning (comp. AEschyl., 'Again.,' 170; Herod., 1:207). The Latins would say, "Quaenocent, docent," and we, "Pain is gain." Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Sorrowכַּ֖עַס (ka·‘as) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3708: Vexation, anger is better ט֥וֹב (ṭō·wḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good than laughter, מִשְּׂחֹ֑ק (miś·śə·ḥōq) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7814: Laughter, derision, sport for כִּֽי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction a sad בְרֹ֥עַ (ḇə·rō·a‘) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7455: Badness, evil countenance פָּנִ֖ים (pā·nîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 6440: The face is good יִ֥יטַב (yî·ṭaḇ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing for the heart. לֵֽב׃ (lêḇ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre Links Ecclesiastes 7:3 NIVEcclesiastes 7:3 NLT Ecclesiastes 7:3 ESV Ecclesiastes 7:3 NASB Ecclesiastes 7:3 KJV Ecclesiastes 7:3 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 7:3 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 7:3 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 7:3 French Bible Ecclesiastes 7:3 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
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