8 Better `is' the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better `is' the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.
Whoso is slow to anger `is' of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
for of patience ye have need, that the will of God having done, ye may receive the promise,
be patient, ye also; establish your hearts, because the presence of the Lord hath drawn nigh;
to those, indeed, who in continuance of a good work, do seek glory, and honour, and incorruptibility -- life age-during; and to those contentious, and disobedient, indeed, to the truth, and obeying the unrighteousness -- indignation and wrath,
Whoso is proud in soul stirreth up contention, And whoso is trusting on Jehovah is made fat.
Better `is' the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.
for what renown `is it', if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure `it'? but if, doing good and suffering `for it', ye do endure, this `is' gracious with God, for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,
In like manner, ye younger, be subject to elders, and all to one another subjecting yourselves; with humble-mindedness clothe yourselves, because God the proud doth resist, but to the humble He doth give grace; be humbled, then, under the powerful hand of God, that you He may exalt in good time,
Those sowing in tears, with singing do reap, Whoso goeth on and weepeth, Bearing the basket of seed, Surely cometh in with singing, bearing his sheaves!
with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love,
And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,
He hath come in against Aiath, He hath passed over into Migron, At Michmash he looketh after his vessels. They have gone over the passage, Geba they have made a lodging place, Trembled hath Rama, Gibeah of Saul fled. Cry aloud `with' thy voice, daughter of Gallim, Give attention, Laish! answer her, Anathoth. Fled away hath Madmenah, The inhabitants of the high places have hardened themselves. Yet to-day in Nob to remain, Wave its hand doth the mount of the daughter of Zion, The hill of Jerusalem. Lo, the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Is lopping a branch with violence, And the high of stature are cut down, And the lofty are become low, And He hath gone round the thickets of the forest with iron, And Lebanon by a mighty one falleth!
Therefore, thus said the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, `Be not afraid, my people, inhabiting Zion, because of Asshur, With a rod he doth smite thee, And his staff lifteth up against thee, in the way of Egypt. For yet a very little, And the indignation hath been completed, And Mine anger by their wearing out.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
Solomon had given many proofs and instances of the vanity of this world and the things of it; now, in this chapter,
Ecc 7:1-6
In these verses Solomon lays down some great truths which seem paradoxes to the unthinking part, that is, the far greatest part, of mankind.
Ecc 7:7-10
Solomon had often complained before of the oppressions which he saw under the sun, which gave occasion for many melancholy speculations and were a great discouragement to virtue and piety. Now here,
Ecc 7:11-22
Solomon, in these verses, recommends wisdom to us as the best antidote against those distempers of mind which we are liable to, by reason of the vanity and vexation of spirit that there are in the things of this world. Here are some of the praises and the precepts of wisdom.
Ecc 7:23-29
Solomon had hitherto been proving the vanity of the world and its utter insufficiency to make men happy; now here he comes to show the vileness of sin, and its certain tendency to make men miserable; and this, as the former, he proves from his own experience, and it was a dear-bought experience. He is here, more than any where in all this book, putting on the habit of a penitent. He reviews what he had been discoursing of already, and tells us that what he had said was what he knew and was well assured of, and what he resolved to stand by: All this have I proved by wisdom, v. 23. Now here,