“Why were the former days better than these?”
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
But the1 excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives blife to those who have it.
But in the day of adversity consider:
Surely God has appointed the one1 as well as the other,
So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
aThere is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,
And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
| << Ecclesiastes 7:10 | Ecclesiastes 7:12 >> |
Ecclesiastes 7:11
Wisdom is good with an inheritance - In this chapter Solomon introduces many observations which appear to be made by objectors against his doctrine; and as he was satisfied of their futility, he proposes them in their own full strength, and then combats and destroys them. It is quite necessary to attend to this; else we shall take the objector' s words for those of Solomon; and think, as some have done, that the wise man contradicts and refutes himself. Observations, reflections, and objections of friends and adversaries are frequently introduced in the works of ancient authors, without mentioning them as such. This is frequent, more particularly in ethic writers; and we have many specimens in Horace, and without this distinction, it would be impossible to make sense of some of his writings. Here, an objector who had listened to the wise man declaiming in favor of wisdom, suddenly interrupts him, and says in effect, "I grant the truth of what you have said. Wisdom is very good in its place; but what is it without property? A man who has a good inheritance may be profited by wisdom, because it will show him how to manage it to the best advantage."
| << Ecclesiastes 7:10 | Ecclesiastes 7:12 >> |
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