Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 7:2–4

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.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 7

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 7:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
It is betterט֞וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
to enterלָלֶ֣כֶתlā·le·ḵeṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1980 go, come, walk
a houseבֵּֽית־bêṯ-Noun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of mourningאֵ֗בֶל’ê·ḇelNoun - masculine singularH60 mourning
thanמִלֶּ֙כֶת֙mil·le·ḵeṯPreposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1980 go, come, walk
a houseבֵּ֣יתbêṯNoun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of feastingמִשְׁתֶּ֔הmiš·tehNoun - masculine singularH4960 feast
sinceבַּאֲשֶׁ֕רba·’ă·šerPreposition-b; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
the endס֣וֹףsō·wp̄Noun - masculine singular constructH5490 end
of everyכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
manהָאָדָ֑םhā·’ā·ḏāmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
and the livingוְהַחַ֖יwə·ha·ḥayConjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singularH2416 alive, living
should takeיִתֵּ֥ןyit·tênVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
heartלִבּֽוֹ׃lib·bōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart

Ecclesiastes 7:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Sorrowכַּ֖עַסka·‘asNoun - masculine singularH3708 vexation, anger
is betterט֥וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than laughterמִשְּׂחֹ֑קmiś·śə·ḥōqPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH7814 laughter, derision, sport
forכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
a sadבְרֹ֥עַḇə·rō·a‘Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH7455 badness, evil
countenanceפָּנִ֖יםpā·nîmNoun - masculine pluralH6440 face, before
is goodיִ֥יטַבyî·ṭaḇVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
for the heartלֵֽב׃lêḇNoun - masculine singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart

Ecclesiastes 7:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The heartלֵ֤בlêḇNoun - masculine singular constructH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
of the wiseחֲכָמִים֙ḥă·ḵā·mîmAdjective - masculine pluralH2450 wise
in the houseבְּבֵ֣יתbə·ḇêṯPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of mourningאֵ֔בֶל’ê·ḇelNoun - masculine singularH60 mourning
but the heartוְלֵ֥בwə·lêḇConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
of foolsכְּסִילִ֖יםkə·sî·lîmNoun - masculine pluralH3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
is in the houseבְּבֵ֥יתbə·ḇêṯPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of pleasureשִׂמְחָֽה׃śim·ḥāhNoun - feminine singularH8057 joy, gladness, mirth

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 7:2 Psalm 90:12 · Hebrews 9:27 · Deuteronomy 32:29 · Deuteronomy 32:46 · Philippians 3:19 · 1 Peter 4:3–4 · Haggai 1:5

Ecclesiastes 7:3 2 Corinthians 7:9–11 · Romans 5:3–4 · James 4:8–10 · John 16:20–22 · Jeremiah 31:15–20 · James 1:2–4 · Hebrews 12:10–11 · 2 Corinthians 4:17 · Jeremiah 31:8–9 · Luke 6:21 · Psalm 119:71 · Zechariah 12:10–14

Ecclesiastes 7:4 Matthew 8:14–16 · 1 Samuel 25:36 · Luke 7:12–13 · Nehemiah 2:2–5 · Daniel 5:1–4 · John 11:31–35 · Jeremiah 51:39 · Daniel 5:30 · 1 Kings 20:16 · Jeremiah 51:57 · Hosea 7:5 · Isaiah 21:4

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.