Ecclesiastes 7:5
New International Version
It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.

New Living Translation
Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool.

English Standard Version
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

Berean Standard Bible
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

King James Bible
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

New King James Version
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools.

New American Standard Bible
It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise person Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

NASB 1995
It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

NASB 1977
It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

Legacy Standard Bible
Better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

Amplified Bible
It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise man and pursue wisdom Than for one to listen to the song of fools and pursue stupidity.

Christian Standard Bible
It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Better to hear the reproof of the wise than a man who hears the song of fools

Brenton Septuagint Translation
It is better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Contemporary English Version
Correction from someone wise is better by far than praise from fools.

Douay-Rheims Bible
It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.

English Revised Version
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
It is better to listen to wise people who reprimand you than to fools who sing your praises.

Good News Translation
It is better to have wise people reprimand you than to have stupid people sing your praises.

International Standard Version
It is better to listen to a wise person's rebuke than to listen to the praise of fools.

JPS Tanakh 1917
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, Than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Literal Standard Version
Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, | Than [for] a man to hear a song of fools,

Majority Standard Bible
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

New American Bible
It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise than to listen to the song of fools;

NET Bible
It is better for a person to receive a rebuke from those who are wise than to listen to the song of fools.

New Revised Standard Version
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

New Heart English Bible
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Webster's Bible Translation
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

World English Bible
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,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Value of Wisdom
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. 5It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools. 6For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.…

Cross References
Psalm 141:5
Let the righteous man strike me; let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion. It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. For my prayer is ever against the deeds of the wicked.

Proverbs 6:23
For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,

Proverbs 13:18
Poverty and shame come to him who ignores discipline, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

Proverbs 15:31
He who listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.

Proverbs 15:32
He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

Proverbs 25:12
Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.

Ecclesiastes 7:4
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.


Treasury of Scripture

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

better

Psalm 141:5
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

Proverbs 9:8
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Proverbs 13:13
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

the song

Psalm 69:12
They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

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Ecclesiastes 7
1. remedies against vanity are, a good name
2. mortification
7. patience
11. wisdom
23. The difficulty of wisdom














Verse 5. - It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise. Gearah, "rebuke," is the word used in Proverbs for the grave admonition which heals and strengthens while it wounds (see Proverbs 13:1; Proverbs 17:10). The silent lessons which a man learns from the contemplation of others' sorrow are rightly supplemented by the salutary correction of the wise man's tongue. Than for a man to hear the song of fools. Shir, "song," is a general term used of sacred or profane song; the connection here with the second clause of ver. 4, etc., leads one to think of the hoister-cue, reckless, often immodest, singing heard in the house of revelry, such as Amos (Amos 6:5) calls "idle songs to the sound of the viol" Koheleth might have heard these in his own country, without drawing his experience from the license of Greek practice or the impurity of Greek lyrics. The Vulgate renders the clause, Quum stultorum adulatione decipi, Than to be deceived by the flattery of tools." This is a paraphrase; the correctness is negatived by the explanation given in the following verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
It is better
ט֕וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

to heed
לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ (liš·mō·a‘)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

a wise man’s
חָכָ֑ם (ḥā·ḵām)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2450: Wise

rebuke
גַּעֲרַ֣ת (ga·‘ă·raṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1606: A chiding

than
מֵאִ֕ישׁ (mê·’îš)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

to listen
שֹׁמֵ֖עַ (šō·mê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

to the song
שִׁ֥יר (šîr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7892: A song, singing

of fools.
כְּסִילִֽים׃ (kə·sî·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to hear the rebuke (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 7:4
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