Ecclesiastes

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NASB	Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
AMPLIFIED 2015 2015	Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad (deep in thought) the heart may be happy [because it is growing in wisdom]. [2 Cor 7:10]

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Bible Question: I know that both sorrow and joy are mixed in the lives of christians, and I've now read all of these verses in context. Although, i think that i did not correctly phrase my previous question. I am more concerned with the context of Ecclesiastes 7:3-4. I know that James 4:9 is talking about repentance, and James 1:2 is talking about trials, and that Romans 12:15 is talking about carring for and fellowship with others. What exactly is Ecc. 7:3-4 actually refering to??

Bible Answer: Dear Finder,

I apologize for not responding to your explicit question.

The text of the verses you are asking about are:

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 ESV)

Ecclesiastes is one of the wisdom genre of books of Scripture. Much of it consists of proverbs, of which the verses you cited are examples. Solomon is contrasting the foolish with the wise. The world seeks amusement, distraction, mirth, laughter, etc. We know from the Word, however, that true joy begins with the sorrow of conviction (cf 2 Corinthians 6:10). Thus, while the fool seeks anything to take their mind off their guilt, the wise pursues contrition (Psalm 34:18; 51:17). The irony in it all is that the fool's joy turns to eternal sorrow, while the wise man's sorrow turns to eternal joy.

In Him, Doc

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Ecclesiastes

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