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Read the Bible

New Life Version

Ecclesiastes 7:4

The heart of the wise is in the house of sorrow, while the heart of fools is in the house where there is fun.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Amusements and Worldly Pleasures;   Bereavement;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Heart;   Sorrow;   Wisdom;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Amusements and Pleasures, Worldly;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom literature;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Laugh;   Poetry;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher;   Fool;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - AḥiḴar;   Joy;   Phinehas B. Ḥama;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 2;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.
Hebrew Names Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
King James Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
English Standard Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
New American Standard Bible
The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
New Century Version
A wise person thinks about death, but a fool thinks only about having a good time.
Amplified Bible
The heart of the wise [learns when it] is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is [senseless] in the house of pleasure.
World English Bible
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.
Legacy Standard Bible
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,While the heart of fools is in the house of gladness.
Berean Standard Bible
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
Contemporary English Version
A sensible person mourns, but fools always laugh.
Complete Jewish Bible
The thoughts of the wise are in the house of mourning, but the thoughts of fools are in the house of pleasure.
Darby Translation
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of mirth.
Easy-to-Read Version
A wise person thinks about death, but a fool thinks only about having a good time.
George Lamsa Translation
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Good News Translation
Someone who is always thinking about happiness is a fool. A wise person thinks about death.
Lexham English Bible
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Literal Translation
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of the stupid one is in the house of mirth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The herte of ye wyse is in the mournynge house, but the hert of the foolish is in the house of myrth.
American Standard Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Bible in Basic English
The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
King James Version (1611)
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The heart of the wise is in the mourning house: but the heart of the foolishe is in the house of myrth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
English Revised Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The herte of wise men is where sorewe is; and the herte of foolis is where gladnesse is.
Update Bible Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Webster's Bible Translation
The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
New English Translation
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.
New King James Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
New Living Translation
A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
New Revised Standard
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(7-5) The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
Revised Standard Version
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Young's Literal Translation
The heart of the wise [is] in a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.
THE MESSAGE
Sages invest themselves in hurt and grieving. Fools waste their lives in fun and games.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Contextual Overview

1 A good name is better than oil of much worth. And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth. 2 It is better to go to a house of sorrow than to go to a house of much eating. For this is the end of all men, and the living takes it to heart. 3 To have sorrow is better than to laugh because when a face is sad, the heart may become strong. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of sorrow, while the heart of fools is in the house where there is fun. 5 It is better to listen to the sharp words of a wise man than to listen to the song of fools. 6 For the laughing of a fool is like the sound of a thorn bush burning under a pot. This also is for nothing.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

heart: Nehemiah 2:2-5, Isaiah 53:3, Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 8:14-16, Mark 5:38-43, Luke 7:12, Luke 7:13, John 11:31-35

the heart: 1 Samuel 25:36, 1 Samuel 30:16, 2 Samuel 13:28, 1 Kings 20:16, Isaiah 21:4, Jeremiah 51:39, Jeremiah 51:57, Daniel 5:1-4, Daniel 5:30, Hosea 7:5, Nahum 1:10, Mark 6:21-29

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 1:41 - as they

Cross-References

Genesis 2:5
Now no bush of the field was yet on the earth. And no plant of the field had started to grow. For the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth. And there was no man to work the ground.
Genesis 6:3
Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not stay in man forever, for he is flesh. But yet he will live for 120 years."
Genesis 6:7
So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have made from the land, man and animals, things that move upon the earth and birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them."
Genesis 6:13
Then God said to Noah, "I have decided to make an end to all the people on the earth. They are the cause of very much trouble. See, I will destroy them as I destroy the earth.
Genesis 6:17
See, I will bring a flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh under heaven that has the breath of life. Everything on earth will be destroyed.
Genesis 7:10
After seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
Genesis 7:11
In the year 600 of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, all the wells of water under the earth broke open. The windows of the heavens were opened.
Genesis 7:12
And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:17
The flood came upon the earth for forty days. The water got deeper and raised up the large boat so that it was lifted above the earth.
Genesis 7:21
All flesh that moved on the earth was destroyed, birds and cattle and wild animals, and every man.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning,.... When his body is not; when it does not suit him to go thither in person, his mind is there, and his thoughts are employed on the useful subjects of the frailty and mortality of human nature, of death, a future judgment, and a world to come; which shows him to be a wise man, and concerned for the best things, even for his eternal happiness in another state;

but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth; where jovial company is, merry songs are sung, and the cup or glass passes briskly round, and all is gay and brilliant: here the fool desires to be oftener than he is, and when he cannot; which shows the folly of his mind, what a vain taste he has, and how thoughtless he is of a future state, and of his eternal welfare.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

House of mourning ... house of mirth - These phrases acquire a forcible significance from the Eastern custom of prolonging both festive and mournful celebrations through several days. See Genesis 50:10; Judges 14:17. This verse indicates that a life of enjoyment, does not mean the abandonment of ourselves to pleasures, but the thankful and sober use of the beautiful things which God gives us.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 7:4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning — A wise man loves those occasions from which he can derive spiritual advantage; and therefore prefers visiting the sick, and sympathizing with those who have suffered privations by death. But the fool - the gay, thoughtless, and giddy - prefers places and times of diversion and amusement. Here he is prevented from seriously considering either himself or his latter end. The grand fault and misfortune of youth.


 
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