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Ecclesiastes 7:10

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— Say not thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? For thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former dayes were better then these? For thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— Say not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For you do not enquire wisely concerning this.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
Say 559
{0559} Prime
אָמַר
'amar
{aw-mar'}
A primitive root; to say (used with great latitude).
z8799
<8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 19885
not x408
(0408) Complement
אַל
'al
{al}
A negative particle (akin to H3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing.
thou, What x4100
(4100) Complement
מָּה
mah
{maw}
A primitive particle; properly interrogitive what? (including how?, why? and when?); but also exclamations like what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjugational senses.
is x1961
(1961) Complement
הָיָה
hayah
{haw-yaw'}
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary).
[the cause] that the former y7223
[7223] Standard
רִאשׁוֹן
ri'shown
{ree-shone'}
From H7221; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun).
days 3117
{3117} Prime
יוֹם
yowm
{yome}
From an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literally (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figuratively (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverbially).
x7945
(7945) Complement
שֶׁל
shel
{shel}
For the relative H0834; used with prepositional prefix, and often followed by some pronoun affixed; on account of, what soever, which soever.
x7223
(7223) Complement
רִאשׁוֹן
ri'shown
{ree-shone'}
From H7221; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun).
were x1961
(1961) Complement
הָיָה
hayah
{haw-yaw'}
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary).
better 2896
{2896} Prime
טוֹב
towb
{tobe}
From H2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well).
than these? x4480
(4480) Complement
מִן
min
{min}
For H4482; properly a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses.
x428
(0428) Complement
אֵלֶּה
'el-leh
{ale'-leh}
Prolonged from H0411; these or those.
for x3588
(3588) Complement
כִּי
kiy
{kee}
A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed.
thou dost not x3808
(3808) Complement
לֹא
lo'
{lo}
lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.
enquire 7592
{7592} Prime
שָׁאַל
sha'al
{shaw-al'}
A primitive root; to inquire; by implication to request; by extension to demand.
z8804
<8804> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Perfect (See H8816)
Count - 12562
wisely 2451
{2451} Prime
חָכְמָה
chokmah
{khok-maw'}
From H2449; wisdom (in a good sense).
x4480
(4480) Complement
מִן
min
{min}
For H4482; properly a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses.
concerning x5921
(5921) Complement
עַל
`al
{al}
Properly the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural, often with prefix, or as conjugation with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications.
this. x2088
(2088) Complement
זֶה
zeh
{zeh}
A primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:10

_ _ Do not call in question God’s ways in making thy former days better than thy present, as Job did (Job 29:2-5). The very putting of the question argues that heavenly “wisdom” (Margin) is not as much as it ought made the chief good with thee.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

See commentary on Ecclesiastes 7:7-10.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Ecclesiastes 7:10

Better — More quiet and comfortable. For this is an argument of a mind unthankful for the many mercies, which men enjoy even in evil times. For — This question shews thy folly in contending with thy Lord and governor, in opposing thy shallow wit to his unsearchable wisdom.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Ecclesiastes 7:10

Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire (g) wisely concerning this.

(g) Murmur not against God when he sends adversities for man's sins.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
What:

Judges 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where [be] all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
Jeremiah 44:17-19 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. ... And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

wisely:
Heb. out of wisdom,
Genesis 6:11-12 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. ... And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Psalms 14:2-3 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and] seek God. ... They are all gone aside, they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one.
Isaiah 50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where [is] the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors [is it] to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Romans 1:22-32 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ... Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Romans 3:9-19 What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; ... Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Gn 6:11. Jg 6:13. Ps 14:2. Is 50:1. Jr 44:17. Ro 1:22; 3:9.

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