Ecclesiastes 7:2 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.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 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.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 niv
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.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 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.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 nlt
Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies ?
so the living should take this to heart.
Ecclesiastes 7 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:19 | "for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." | Mortality; origin and end. |
| Ps 90:12 | "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." | Call to number days for wisdom. |
| Job 14:1-2 | "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble...he flees." | Brevity and fragility of life. |
| Heb 9:27 | "it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." | Universal decree of death. |
| Eccl 3:2 | "a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck." | Designated time for all things. |
| Eccl 2:1-2 | "I said of laughter, "It is mad," and of pleasure, "What use is it?"" | Laughter/pleasure are vain. |
| Eccl 2:11 | "then I considered all that my hands had done...all was vanity." | Vanity of earthly pursuits. |
| Lk 12:16-21 | Parable of the rich fool, who gathered riches but lost his soul. | Foolishness of earthly focus. |
| 1 Jn 2:16-17 | "all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes...is passing away." | Worldly things are fleeting. |
| Ps 119:67 | "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word." | Affliction brings obedience. |
| Ps 119:71 | "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." | Benefit of hardship for learning. |
| 2 Cor 7:10 | "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret." | Godly sorrow for repentance. |
| Lam 3:27 | "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." | Youthful discipline is good. |
| Eph 5:15-16 | "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time." | Walk wisely, redeem time. |
| Col 4:5 | "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time." | Wise conduct and time management. |
| Jas 4:13-14 | "you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist." | Life's uncertainty and brevity. |
| 1 Pet 4:7 | "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded." | Live soberly due to end. |
| Rom 13:11 | "Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep." | Urgency for spiritual wakefulness. |
| Phil 4:8 | "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just...think about these things." | Focus on virtuous thoughts. |
| Prov 14:13 | "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief." | Hidden sorrow in pleasure. |
| Prov 15:13 | "A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed." | Heart's impact on demeanor. |
| Prov 27:1 | "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." | Against presumptuous future plans. |
| Ps 4:4 | "Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent." | Inward reflection for peace. |
| Mt 6:19-21 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth...but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." | Heavenly focus, not earthly. |
Ecclesiastes 7 verses
Ecclesiastes 7 2 Meaning
Ecclesiastes 7:2 states that it is more beneficial to attend a funeral than a feast. This counter-intuitive wisdom is rooted in the sobering reality that death is the inevitable end for every person. The verse urges the living to seriously consider this ultimate fate, using the contemplation of mortality as a profound motivation for wisdom, sober living, and thoughtful decision-making, rather than engaging in fleeting, unreflective merriment.
Ecclesiastes 7 2 Context
Ecclesiastes chapter 7 continues Qoheleth’s exploration of what is truly "good" or beneficial in a world that often seems meaningless "under the sun." After experimenting with pleasure, wisdom, and folly in previous chapters, Qoheleth begins to articulate paradoxical wisdom, challenging conventional human perspectives. Verse 2 is part of a series of "better than" (Hebrew: ṭōḇ) proverbs that appear in Eccl 7, contrasting earthly preferences with the deeper wisdom found in grappling with life's harsh realities, especially mortality. Historically, banquets and feasts (house of feasting) were common social gatherings and often associated with a carefree or even decadent lifestyle, while houses of mourning represented sorrow, humility, and the inevitable reminder of human fragility. Qoheleth, through divine inspiration, contrasts these to emphasize the superior spiritual utility of sober reflection on one's finite existence over temporary enjoyment.
Ecclesiastes 7 2 Word analysis
- It is better (טוֹב֙ - ṭōḇ): More than merely "good," this comparative term suggests superiority, indicating something more advantageous, appropriate, or wise in the grand scheme of life. It implies spiritual and practical benefit.
- to go to the house of mourning (בֵּ֣ית אֵ֔בֶל - bêṯ ’ēḇel): This refers to a funeral gathering or a home where a death has occurred and lamentation takes place. It signifies a place of sorrow, soberness, and a stark confrontation with human mortality.
- than to go to the house of feasting (בֵּ֣ית מִשְׁתֶּ֑ה - bêṯ mišteleh): This refers to a banquet, a drinking party, or a place of celebration. It represents transient joy, revelry, and often a distraction from deeper truths. The Hebrew mišteleh specifically highlights drinking.
- for that (כִּֽי־ה֖וּא - kî-hū’): Introduces the reason for the initial assertion. "That" points back to the experience witnessed in the house of mourning.
- is the end (ס֣וֹף - sōp̄): Not just termination, but the conclusion, the ultimate destiny. It denotes finality and the common outcome for everyone.
- of all humanity (כָּל־הָאָדָ֑ם - kol-hā’āḏām): Emphasizes universality. Death is a common denominator, shared by every person regardless of status or circumstance. hā’āḏām signifies mankind as a whole.
- and the living (וְהַחַי֙ - wəhaḥay): Refers to those still experiencing physical life. This is the audience for Qoheleth's wisdom, those who can still respond and make choices.
- should take it to heart (יִתֵּ֥ן אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃ - yitten ’el-libbō): Literally "give to his heart." The heart (lēḇ) in Hebrew thought is the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral consciousness. It means to seriously consider, apply one's mind, ponder deeply, and let the truth settle in one's core being, leading to action.
Words-group analysis:
- "to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting": This phrase directly pits two common human experiences against each other. It's a striking rhetorical device that immediately captures attention by proposing something contrary to natural human inclination (preferring joy over sorrow). It suggests that while one offers temporary pleasure, the other offers lasting wisdom.
- "for that is the end of all humanity": This provides the fundamental rationale. The universality of death transforms the experience of mourning from mere sadness into a profound, teachable moment. It removes the potential for self-pity and frames it as a shared human condition.
- "and the living should take it to heart": This emphasizes the practical purpose of the lesson. The awareness of mortality isn't meant to breed despair but to ignite serious self-reflection and practical application of wisdom, shaping one's values, priorities, and actions in the present.
Ecclesiastes 7 2 Bonus section
The wisdom presented in Ecclesiastes 7:2 aligns deeply with the overarching theme of hevel (often translated as "vanity" or "meaningless") in Qoheleth. The house of feasting often represents the hevel of fleeting earthly delights that leave no lasting spiritual impression. The house of mourning, however, grounds the individual in reality, exposing the hevel of human ambition and transient pleasures in light of death's finality. This perspective is vital for avoiding the despair associated with life 'under the sun' when pursuits lack ultimate meaning. Qoheleth consistently argues against superficiality, preferring wisdom that comes from facing uncomfortable truths over comfortable illusions. This verse promotes a form of memento mori, not as a call to despondency, but as a sober discipline to live with intention, aware of time's brevity and eternity's proximity.
Ecclesiastes 7 2 Commentary
Ecclesiastes 7:2 challenges the superficial pursuit of pleasure by reorienting our perspective towards the profound reality of death. While humans instinctively seek joy and shun sorrow, Qoheleth asserts that the house of mourning provides a superior environment for spiritual growth because it serves as an undeniable reminder of life's finite nature. Feasting, by contrast, can easily foster forgetfulness of ultimate accountability and lead to a life lived without deep reflection. The certainty of death, "the end of all humanity," is presented not as a morbid fascination but as a powerful impetus for wisdom. For those still living, embracing this truth and "taking it to heart" leads to sober self-assessment, better decision-making, and a clearer focus on what genuinely holds eternal value, transcending the fleeting pleasures "under the sun."