Ecclesiastes 7:14

Updated Bible Version

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
In the day when there is good be of good cheer,But in the day when there is evil see—God has made the one as well as the otherSo that man will not find out anything that will be after him.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Use well the tyme of prosperitie, and remember the tyme of misfortune: for God doth so temper the one and the other, that a man can finde nothing els.

Darby Translation
In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing [of what shall be] after him.

New King James Version
In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

Literal Translation
In the good day, be in good spirit , but also see in the evil day, that God has made one along with the other, so that man should not find anything after him.

Easy-to-Read Version
When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember that God gives us good times and hard times. And no one knows what will happen in the future.

World English Bible
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

King James Version (1611)
In the day of prosperitie be ioyfull, but in the day of aduersitie consider: God also hath set the one ouer against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

King James Version
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vse well the tyme of prosperite, and remembre the tyme of mysfortune: for God maketh the one by the other, so that a man can fynde nothinge els.

THE MESSAGE
On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days So that we won't take anything for granted.

Amplified Bible
In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider that God has made the one as well as the other, So that man will not find out anything that will be after him.

American Standard Version
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.

Bible in Basic English
In the day of wealth have joy, but in the day of evil take thought: God has put the one against the other, so that man may not be certain what will be after him.

Webster's Bible Translation
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

New English Translation
In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds.

Contemporary English Version
When times are good, you should be cheerful; when times are bad, think what it means. God makes them both to keep us from knowing what will happen next.

Complete Jewish Bible
When things are going well, enjoy yourself; but when things are going badly, consider that God made the one alongside the other, so that people would learn nothing of their futures.

Geneva Bible (1587)
In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

George Lamsa Translation
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but look after yourself in the day of adversity. God also has made one thing opposite to another, to the end that man should know nothing after he is gone.

Hebrew Names Version
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

New Living Translation
Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

New Life Bible
In the day of well-being be happy. But in the day of trouble, think about this: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man can never know what is going to happen.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?

English Revised Version
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing that shall be after him.

Berean Standard Bible
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

New Revised Standard
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that mortals may not find out anything that will come after them.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, - Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out - after him - nothing.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(7-15) In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.

Lexham English Bible
In the day of prosperity, rejoice! But in the day of adversity, consider! For God made one in place of another so that mortals cannot find out what will happen in the future.

English Standard Version
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

New American Standard Bible
On the day of prosperity be happy, But on the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other So that a person will not discover anything that will come after him.

New Century Version
When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember: God gives good times and hard times, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring.

Good News Translation
When things are going well for you, be glad, and when trouble comes, just remember: God sends both happiness and trouble; you never know what is going to happen next.

Christian Standard Bible®
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In a good day vse thou goodis, and bifore eschewe thou an yuel day; for God made so this dai as that dai, that a man fynde not iust playnyngis ayens hym.

Revised Standard Version
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

Young's Literal Translation
In a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of evil consider. Also this over-against that hath God made, To the intent that man doth not find anything after him.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yes, more excellent is it for those that see the sun. ¹² For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him that has it. ¹³ Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked? ¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him. ¹⁵ All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs [his life] in his evil-doing. ¹⁶ Don't be overly righteous; neither make yourself overly wise: why should you destroy yourself? ¹⁷ Don't be overly wicked, neither be foolish: why should you die before your time? ¹⁸ It is good that you should take hold of this; yes, also from that do not withdraw your hand: for he that fears God shall come forth from them all. ¹⁹ Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city. ²⁰ Surely there is not [a] righteous man on earth, that does good, and does not sin.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the day: Ecclesiastes 3:4, Deuteronomy 28:47, Psalms 30:11, Psalms 30:12, Psalms 40:3, Matthew 9:13, John 16:22, John 16:23, James 5:13

but: Deuteronomy 8:3, 1 Kings 8:47, 1 Kings 17:17, 1 Kings 17:18, 2 Chronicles 33:12, 2 Chronicles 33:13, Job 10:1, Job 10:2, Psalms 94:12, Psalms 94:13, Psalms 119:71, Isaiah 22:12-14, Isaiah 26:11, Isaiah 42:25, Jeremiah 23:20, Micah 6:9, Haggai 1:5-7, Luke 15:17, Luke 15:18, Acts 14:22

set: Heb. made, Ecclesiastes 12:8, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Hosea 2:6, Hosea 2:7

Reciprocal: Psalms 50:22 - consider Ecclesiastes 3:1 - every thing Ecclesiastes 8:6 - to every Ecclesiastes 11:8 - yet Isaiah 45:7 - I make Peace Colossians 3:2 - Set

Cross-References

Genesis 7:2
Of every clean beast you shall take to you seven and seven, the male and his female; and of the beasts that are not clean two, the male and his female:

Genesis 7:3
of the birds also of the heavens, seven and seven, male and female, to keep seed alive on the face of all the earth.

Genesis 7:8
Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground,

Genesis 7:9
there went in two and two to Noah into the ark, male and female, as God commanded Noah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

In the day of prosperity be joyful,.... Or, "in a good day" q. When things go well in the commonwealth, in a man's family, and with himself, health, peace, and plenty, are enjoyed, a man's circumstances are thriving and flourishing; it becomes him to be thankful to God, freely and cheerfully to enjoy what is bestowed on him, and do good with it: or, "be in good" r; in good heart, in good spirits, cheerful and lively; or, "enjoy good", as the Vulgate Latin version; for what God gives to men is given them richly to enjoy, to make use of themselves, and be beneficial unto others; so the Targum,

"in the day the Lord does well to thee be thou also in goodness, and do good to all the world;''

see Galatians 6:10; Jarchi's paraphrase is,

"when it is in thine hand to do good, be among those that do good;''

but in the day of adversity consider; or, "in the day of evil" s; consider from whence affliction comes; not out of the dust, nor by chance, but from God, and by his wise appointment; and for what it comes, that sin is the cause of it, and what that is; and also for what ends it is sent, to bring to a sense of sin, and confession of it, and humiliation for it; to take it away, and make good men more partakers of holiness: or, "look for the day of adversity" t; even in the day of prosperity it should be expected; for there is no firmness and stability in any state; there are continual vicissitudes and changes. The Targum is,

"that the evil day may not come upon thee, see and behold;''

be careful and circumspect, and behave in a wise manner, that so it may be prevented. Jarchi's note is,

"when evil comes upon the wicked, be among those that see, and not among those that are seen;''

and compares it with Isaiah 66:24; It may be observed, that there is a set time for each of these, prosperity and adversity; and that the time is short, and therefore called a day; and the one is good, and the other is evil; which characters they have according to the outward appearance, and according to the judgment and esteem of men; otherwise, prosperity is oftentimes hurtful, and destroys fools, and adversity is useful to the souls of good men;

God also hath set the one over against the other; they are both by his appointment, and are set in their proper place, and come in their proper time; succeed each other, and answer to one another, as day and night, summer and winter, and work, together for the good of men;

to the end that man should find nothing after him; should not be able to know what will be hereafter; what his case and circumstances will be, whether prosperous or adverse; since things are so uncertain, and so subject to change, and nothing permanent; and therefore can find nothing to trust in and depend upon, nothing that he can be sure of: and things are so wisely managed and disposed, that a man can find no fault with them, nor just reason to complain of them; so the Vulgate Latin version, "not find just complaints against him"; and to the same purpose the Syriac version, "that he may complain of him"; the Targum is,

"not find any evil in this world.''

q ביום טובה "in die bono", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus. r היה בטוב "esto in bono", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Rambachius. s ביום רעה "in die mala", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus. t ראה "praecave", V. L. "praevide, aut provide ac prospice", Drusius; so Gussetius, p. 766.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Good and prosperous days are in God’s design special times of comfort and rejoicing: the days of affliction and trouble, are in God’s design the proper seasons of recollection and serious consideration. The Providence of God hath so contrived it, that our good and evil days should be intermingled each with the other. This mixture of good and evil days is by the Divine Providence so proportioned, that it sufficiently justifies the dealings of God toward the sons of men, and obviates all their discontent and complaints against Him.

Set the one over against the other - Rather, made this as well as that, i. e., the day of adversity, as well as the day of prosperity. The seeming imitation of this passage in Ecclesiasticus (Ecclesiasticus 36:13-15) affords a strong presumption that this book was written before the days of the son of Sirach.

To the end ... - God hath constituted the vicissitude of prosperity and adversity in such a way that no man can forecast the events that shall follow when he is removed from his present state. Compare the Ecclesiastes 6:12 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. In the day of prosperity be joyful — When ye receive these temporal gifts from God, enjoy them, and be thankful to the Giver: but remember, this sunshine will not always last. God has balanced prosperity and adversity against each other; and were it not so, how many would put the former in the place of God himself!