TRV
Translation
King James Version
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Complete Jewish Bible
It is better to hear the rebukes of the wise than to listen to the songs of fools.
Berean Standard Bible
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
American Standard Version
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
World English Bible Messianic
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Young's Literal Translation
Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than for a man to hear a song of fools,
See also
In the KJVVerse 17,435 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7 verses 1–6
1 ¶ A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2 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.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
In these verses Solomon lays down some great truths which seem paradoxes to the unthinking part, that is, the far greatest part, of mankind.
I. That the honour of virtue is really more valuable and desirable than all the wealth and pleasure in this world (Ecc 7:1): A good name is before good ointment (so it may be read); it is preferable to it, and will be rather chosen by all that are wise. Good ointment is here put for all the profits of the earth (among the products of which oil was reckoned one of the most valuable), for all the delights of sense (for ointment and perfume which rejoice the heart, and it is called the oil of gladness), nay, and for the highest titles of honour with which men are dignified, for kings are anointed. A good name is better than all riches (Pro 21:1), that is, a name for wisdom and goodness with those that are wise and good - the memory of the just; this is a good that will bring a more grateful pleasure to the mind, will give a man a larger opportunity of usefulness, and will go further, and last longer, than the most precious box of ointment; for Christ paid Mary for her ointment with a good name, a name in the gospels (Mat 26:13), and we are sure he always pays with advantage.
II. That, all things considered, our going out of the world is a great kindness to us than our coming into the world was: The day of death is preferable to the birthday; though, as to others, there was joy when a child was born into the world, and where there is death there is lamentation, yet, as to ourselves, if we have lived so as to merit a good name, the day of our death, which will put a period to our cares, and toils, and sorrows, and remove us to rest, and joy, and eternal satisfaction, is better than the day of our birth, which ushered us into a world of so much sin and trouble, vanity and vexation. We were born to uncertainty, but a good man does not die at uncertainty. The day of our birth clogged our souls with the burden of the flesh, but the day of our death will set them at liberty from that burden.
III. That it will do us more good to go to a funeral than to go to a festival (Ecc 7:2): It is better to go to the house of mourning, and there weep with those that weep, than to go to the house of feasting, to a wedding, or a wake, there to rejoice with those that do rejoice. It will do us more good, and make better impressions upon us. We may lawfully go to both, as there is occasion. Our Saviour both feasted at the wedding of his friend in Cana and wept at the grave of his friend in Bethany; and we may possibly glorify God, and do good, and get good, in the house of feasting; but, considering how apt we are to be vain and frothy, proud and secure, and indulgent of the flesh, it is better for us to go to the house of mourning, not to see the pomp of the funeral, but to share in the sorrow of it, and to learn good lessons, both from the dead, who is going thence to his long home, and from the mourners, who go about the streets.
1.The uses to be gathered from the house of mourning are, (1.) By way of information: That is the end of all men. It is the end of man as to this world, a final period to his state here; he shall return no more to his house. It is the end of all men; all have sinned and therefore death passes upon all. We must thus be left by our friends, as the mourners are, and thus leave, as the dead do. What is the lot of others will be ours; the cup is going round, and it will come to our turn to pledge it shortly. (2.) By way of admonition: The living will lay it to his heart. Will they? It were well if they would. Those that are spiritually alive will lay it to heart, and, as for all the survivors, one would think they should; it is their own fault if they do not, for nothing is more easy and natural than by the death of others to be put in mind of our own. Some perhaps will lay that to heart, and consider their latter end, who would not lay a good sermon to heart.
2.For the further proof of this (Ecc 7:4) he makes it the character, (1.) Of a wise man that his heart is in the house of mourning; he is much conversant with mournful subjects, and this is both an evidence and a furtherance of his wisdom. The house of mourning is the wise man's school, where he has learned many a good lesson, and there, where he is serious, he is in his element. When he is in the house of mourning his heart is there to improve the spectacles of mortality that are presented to him; nay, when he is in the house of feasting, his heart is in the house of mourning, by way of sympathy with those that are in sorrow. (2.) It is the character of a fool that his heart is in the house of mirth; his heart is all upon it to be merry and jovial; his whole delight is in sport and gaiety, in merry stories, merry songs, and merry company, merry days and merry nights. If he be at any time in the house of mourning, he is under a restraint; his heart at the same time is in the house of mirth; this is his folly, and helps to make him more and more foolish.
IV. That gravity and seriousness better become us, and are better for us, than mirth and jollity, Ecc 7:3. The common proverb says, "An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow;" but the preacher teaches us a contrary lesson: Sorrow is better than laughter, more agreeable to our present state, where we are daily sinning and suffering ourselves, more or less, and daily seeing the sins and sufferings of others. While we are in a vale of tears, we should conform to the temper of the climate. It is also more for our advantage; for, by the sadness that appears in the countenance, the heart is often made better. Note, 1. That is best for us which is best for our souls, by which the heart is made better, though it be unpleasing to sense. 2. Sadness is often a happy means of seriousness, and that affliction which is impairing to the health, estate, and family, may be improving to the mind, and make such impressions upon that as may alter its temper very much for the better, may make it humble and meek, loose from the world, penitent for sin, and careful of duty. Vexatio dat intellectum - Vexation sharpens the intellect. Periissem nisi periissem - I should have perished if I had not been made wretched. It will follow, on the contrary, that by the mirth and frolicsomeness of the countenance the heart is made worse, more vain, carnal, sensual, and secure, more in love with the world and more estranged from God and spiritual things (Job 21:12, Job 21:14), till it become utterly unconcerned in the afflictions of Joseph, as those Amo 6:5, Amo 6:6, and the king and Haman, Est 3:15.
V. That it is much better for us to have our corruptions mortified by the rebuke of the wise than to have them gratified by the song of fools, Ecc 7:5. Many that would be very well pleased to hear the information of the wise, and much more to have their commendations and consolations, yet do not care for hearing their rebukes, that is, care not for being told of their faults, though ever so wisely; but therein they are no friends to themselves, for reproofs of instruction are the way of life (Pro 6:23), and, though they be not so pleasant as the song of fools, they are more wholesome. To hear, not only with patience, but with pleasure, the rebuke of the wise, is a sign and means of wisdom; but to be fond of the song of fools is a sign that the mind is vain and is the way to make it more so. And what an absurd thing is it for a man to dote so much upon such a transient pleasure as the laughter of a fool is, which may fitly be compared to the burning of thorns under a pot, which makes a great noise and a great blaze, for a little while, but is gone presently, scatters its ashes, and contributes scarcely any thing to the production of a boiling heat, for that requires a constant fire! The laughter of a fool is noisy and flashy, and is not an instance of true joy. This is also vanity; it deceives men to their destruction, for the end of that mirth is heaviness. Our blessed Saviour has read us our doom: Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh; woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep, Luk 6:21, Luk 6:25.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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Didymus the BlindAD 398
COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 202:2
For most people it seems to be right to avoid the critique of a wise man, especially if they like to sin. Whoever desires amusement and sin avoids the person who wants to hinder it. Whoever has no insight is pleased with flatterers, preferring flattery to critique. It is the characteristic of the wise man that he criticizes the one he loves.… The flatterers sing in a certain way. Even when they give ethical speeches, they want to make their audience happy instead of looking out for their best interests. Such song is a speech that gives joy, but a rebuke helps one to find the right way.
Didymus the BlindAD 398
COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 203:3
Thorns that burn under a pot make loud crackling noises. This is like the laughing of the foolish. It makes noise and is crackling, but not because it educates the soul.… As the thorns produce noise when they as plants are burned under a pot, in the same way the laughter of the foolish comes out of a bad soul that is burning.… Thorns are earthly worries, shameful desires and uncurbed joys.
Didymus the BlindAD 398
COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 204:22
The end of words is more likely to be good than their beginning.… A speech is given in order to actualize something.… Oftentimes someone who teaches has with patience led someone who is not highly intelligent to learning. He does not give up after the first or second admonition but tries to heal him in every case. Such a patient teacher is better than an arrogant one, or someone proud in spirit.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ecclesiastes
"The
heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the
house of enjoyment. ""Blessed", says the Saviour,
"are the mourning, since they will be consoled". [Matth. 5, 5.] And Samuel mourned King Saul all the days of
his life [Cfr I Reg. 16.]
and Paul said he had mourned over those who did not want to repent their many
sins [Cfr II Cor. 12, 21.]. Therefore the heart of a wise man goes to the
house of such a man, who reproves himself when he is doing wrong, so that he
brings forth tears and causes himself to weep for his own sins; and he does not
go to the house of joy, where the learned man flatters and deceives, not
changing the listeners so they are together as one, but asking for praise and
applause from them. Such a teacher, who
is rich in speeches and words, is mourned, and being filled by his knowledge,
receives his consolation. Then the
following verses agree with this explanation too, because he says:
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Ecclesiastes 7:5 profoundly asserts the superior value of receiving honest, often challenging, correction from those who possess true wisdom over indulging in the pleasant but ultimately unhelpful flattery and empty entertainment offered by the foolish. The Preacher (Qoheleth) highlights that genuine personal growth and spiritual maturity are cultivated through a willingness to embrace difficult truths and constructive criticism, rather than being lulled into complacency by superficial affirmations.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is embedded within a significant section of Ecclesiastes, beginning around Ecclesiastes 7, where Qoheleth meticulously contrasts the paths of wisdom and folly, and the benefits of challenging circumstances versus superficial ease. The chapter opens with a series of paradoxical statements that challenge conventional notions of what is "good" or "better," often favoring the sober realities of life over fleeting pleasures. For instance, Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 posits that it is better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting, and that sorrow is better than laughter, because it leads to a sober heart and wisdom. Ecclesiastes 7:5 directly continues this theme by applying the principle of preferring discomfort for growth, specifically in the realm of interpersonal instruction and discernment.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, wisdom was not merely intellectual knowledge but a practical skill for living a righteous and flourishing life, deeply rooted in the fear of the Lord. Wisdom literature, like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, often featured the "wise" as mentors and the "fools" as those who stubbornly rejected instruction. Public rebuke from an elder or a wise person was a recognized, albeit often painful, form of guidance aimed at correction and preservation of the community's moral fabric. Conversely, flattery and empty entertainment (the "song of fools") could lead to self-deception and moral decay, as they provided no genuine insight or challenge to one's destructive tendencies. The cultural emphasis on communal well-being meant that individual correction was seen as a necessary act of love, designed to bring one back into alignment with the path of righteousness and communal harmony.
Key Themes: Ecclesiastes 7:5 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book. Firstly, it underscores the Value of Constructive Criticism, portraying the "rebuke of the wise" not as an attack, but as a precious commodity essential for personal and spiritual development. This aligns with the broader biblical principle that "faithful are the wounds of a friend" as seen in Proverbs 27:6. Secondly, the verse emphasizes the critical need for Discernment Between Wisdom and Folly. It urges the listener to distinguish between genuine, beneficial counsel, however un palatable, and the deceptive allure of empty flattery or entertainment that offers no substantive value, a recurring theme when discussing the "fool" in wisdom literature, such as Proverbs 14:7. Finally, it reinforces the idea that True Growth Often Requires Discomfort, suggesting that the path to wisdom and maturity is not always pleasant but necessitates confronting uncomfortable truths and embracing opportunities for correction.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ecclesiastes 7:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Antithetical Parallelism, which is central to the verse's structure and meaning. By directly juxtaposing the "rebuke of the wise" with the "song of fools," Qoheleth sharply highlights the qualitative difference between two types of input and their respective outcomes. This contrast is not merely descriptive but prescriptive, urging the reader to choose the path of difficult truth over pleasant deception. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Metaphor and Symbolism: the "rebuke" metaphorically represents painful but necessary correction and guidance, while the "song" symbolizes empty flattery, superficial entertainment, or deceptive words that offer no real substance. The "wise" and "fools" themselves are archetypal figures, representing distinct approaches to life and sources of counsel within wisdom literature. The phrase "it is better" functions as a form of Advisory Statement, characteristic of wisdom literature, providing direct instruction and moral guidance to the reader.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ecclesiastes 7:5 speaks to a fundamental theological truth: God's pathway to wisdom and maturity often involves discipline and correction. Just as a loving parent corrects a child, so too does God, through various means, guide His people away from folly and towards righteousness. The "rebuke of the wise" can be seen as a human echo of divine discipline, a means by which God's truth is conveyed to His children for their ultimate good. This verse challenges the human tendency to seek comfort and affirmation over truth, reminding us that true growth is often forged in the crucible of humility and a willingness to be corrected. It underscores the biblical emphasis on wisdom as a divine gift, to be sought and cherished, even when its lessons are hard and require personal discomfort. This principle is foundational to spiritual formation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ecclesiastes 7:5 provides timeless wisdom for navigating relationships and pursuing personal growth. In a world saturated with superficiality and the constant pursuit of affirmation, this verse calls us to cultivate a counter-cultural hunger for truth, even when it stings. It encourages us to actively seek out voices of wisdom in our lives—mentors, trusted friends, spiritual leaders—who are willing to speak hard truths in love, knowing that their correction is a gift designed for our flourishing. Conversely, it warns against the seductive allure of flattery and empty praise, which may soothe our ego but ultimately stunt our development and lead us astray. Embracing the "rebuke of the wise" requires humility, a willingness to admit our faults, and a deep desire to grow. It means valuing character over comfort and truth over temporary pleasure, recognizing that true freedom comes from walking in alignment with wisdom and divine principles.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the "rebuke of the wise" considered better than the "song of fools"?
Answer: The "rebuke of the wise" is considered better because it serves as a catalyst for genuine growth, correction, and spiritual maturity. A rebuke, though potentially uncomfortable, comes from a place of wisdom and sincere concern, aiming to guide an individual away from error and towards a more righteous and flourishing life. It provides valuable insight, prompts self-examination, and offers a concrete opportunity for self-improvement and alignment with God's will. In contrast, the "song of fools" represents empty flattery, superficial entertainment, or deceptive words that offer no real substance or challenge. While pleasant to the ear and appealing to human vanity, it lacks any corrective power and can lead to self-deception, complacency, and ultimately, spiritual stagnation. The wise person's words, even when painful, build up and lead to life, while the fool's words, though appealing, tear down by preventing necessary change, a stark contrast highlighted throughout the Book of Proverbs when discussing wisdom and folly.
Who are the "wise" and "fools" in this context?
Answer: In biblical wisdom literature, the "wise" (Hebrew: châkâm) are individuals who possess not only intellectual knowledge but also practical skill, moral discernment, and a deep reverence for God and His ways. They understand the principles of righteous living and are capable of offering sound, truthful counsel, even when it's difficult to hear, because their wisdom is often rooted in experience and divine revelation. The "fools" (Hebrew: kᵉçîyl), on the other hand, are not merely unintelligent but are characterized by moral deficiency, obstinacy, and a fundamental resistance to instruction and correction from God's truth. They live according to their own misguided desires, reject wisdom, and often lead others astray with their empty words and actions. Their "song" is appealing but lacks substance, reflecting their own spiritual emptiness and lack of discernment. This distinction is foundational to understanding the wisdom tradition, as highlighted in passages like Proverbs 1:7, which states that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ecclesiastes 7:5 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the very Wisdom of God incarnate, as 1 Corinthians 1:24 proclaims, and in Him "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). His words, though often challenging and convicting, are always life-giving and lead to true flourishing. When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Matthew 23:13-36), or called His disciples to costly, self-denying discipleship (Luke 9:23), these were the ultimate "rebukes of the wise" that, though uncomfortable, were essential for their spiritual health and transformation. His teaching often confronted popular notions and exposed the superficiality of worldly wisdom, much like the Preacher's contrast. The "song of fools" can be seen as the seductive allure of the world's empty promises and deceptive philosophies that reject Christ's truth. These worldly "songs" may promise ease and pleasure but ultimately lead to destruction, a stark contrast to Jesus's call to build one's house on the rock of His words, which alone endure (Matthew 7:24-27). To truly hear the "rebuke of the wise" is to hear and obey the voice of Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6), even when His words challenge our comfort zones and call us to repentance and radical obedience. His "rebuke" is always an act of profound love, leading us to eternal life, genuine wisdom, and abundant grace.