good (as an adjective) in the widest sense · adjective, masculine singular absolute
hear
לִשְׁמֹ֖עַlish.Mo.a'
H8085
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attent… · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
rebuke
גַּעֲרַ֣תga.'a.Rat
H1606
a chiding · noun, common feminine singular construct
wise
חָכָ֑םcha.Kham
H2450
wise · adjective, masculine singular absolute
man
מֵאִ֕ישׁme.'Ish
H376
a man as an individual or a male person · preposition + noun, common masculine singular absolute
hear
שֹׁמֵ֖עַsho.Me.a'
H8085
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attent… · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
song
שִׁ֥ירshir
H7892
a song · noun, common masculine singular construct
fools
כְּסִילִֽיםke.si.Lim
H3684
properly · adjective, masculine plural absolute
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Proverbs 15:31-32 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.
Psalms 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…
Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Proverbs 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
Proverbs 17:10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Psalms 69:12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 7:1-6
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…
(Psa 141:4-5). Godly reproof offends the flesh, but benefits the spirit. Fools' songs in the house of mirth please the flesh, but injure the soul.
John Gill on Ecclesiastes 7:5
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,.... To listen to it diligently, receive it cordially, and act according to it; though it may be disagreeable to the flesh, and give present pain, yet the effect and issue will be good, and show that man to be wise that hears it, as well as he that gives it; see Psalm 141:1;
than for a man to hear the song of fools; the vain and impure songs that foolish men sing in the house of mirth; or the flatteries of foolish men, which tickle and please the mind, as music and songs do: or, "than a man that hears the song of fools" (i), and is pleased with it.
(i) "quam vir audiens canticum stultorum", Montanus, Mercerus; "prae viro audiente canticum stul…
A fourth proverb of that which is better (מן טוב) presents, like the third, the fools and the wise over against each other: "Better to hear the reproof of a wise man, than that one should hear the song of fools. For like the crackling of Nesseln (nettles) under the Kessel (kettle), so the laughter of the fool: also this is vain." As at Pro 13:1; Pro 17:10, גּערה is the earnest and severe words of the wise, which impressively reprove, emphatically warn, and salutarily alarm. שׁיר in itself means only song, to the exclusion, however, of the plaintive song; the song of fools is, if not immoral, yet morally and spiritually hollow, senseless, and unbridled madness. Instead of משּׁמע, the words מא…
The Church Fathers
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.
"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:
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Fasting · 35:13;69:10; — 35:13;69:10;
Hypocrisy · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Being praised by a fool and enjoying a fool’s laughter are short-lived and worthless. Being criticized by a wise person can lead to real gain (Prov 17:10).
Rashi on Ecclesiastes 7:4
The heart of the wise [will reflect on] the house of mourning. Their thoughts13The literal translation is somewhat difficult because the heart of the wise is located in the same place as everyone else, therefore Rashi explains that it refers to their thoughts. (Sifsei Chachomim) are [focused] on the day of death.14These are their thoughts even when they are not visiting a house of mourning. As a result they subordinate their desires and avoid sin. (Metsudas Dovid) 15Alternatively, the heart of the wise mourns over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdosh and grieve over Yisroel’s exile. (Targum)
But the heart of the fools [are attracted] to the house of feasting. They do not fear the[ir] day o…
