Ecclesiastes 7:3
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
‖Sorrow is better then laughter: for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better.
Original 1611 marginTranslation notes and cross-references are kept distinct.
- ‖Alternative wordingOr, anger.
Narration uses the Pure Cambridge Edition.
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From verse 3
- 2 Corinthians 7:9–11Rank 1 from verse 3
9Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
9Now I reioyce, not that ye were made sorie, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorie ‖after a godly maner, that ye might receiue damage by vs in nothing.
10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to saluation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11For behold this selfe same thing that yee sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulnesse it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of your selues, yea, what indignation, yea what feare, yea what vehement desire, yea what zeale, yea what reuenge; In all things yee haue approued your selues to be cleare in this matter.
- Romans 5:3–4Rank 2 from verse 3
- James 4:8–10Rank 3 from verse 3
8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
8Draw nigh to God, and hee will draw nigh to you: cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purifie your hearts yee double minded.
9Bee afflicted, and mourne, and weepe: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your ioy to heauinesse.
10Humble your selues in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you vp.
- John 16:20–22Rank 4 from verse 3
20Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
20Uerily, verily I say vnto you, that ye shall weepe and lament, but the world shall reioyce: And ye shall be sorrowfull, but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy.
21A woman, when she is in trauaile, hath sorrow, because her houre is come: but assoone as she is deliuered of the child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for ioy that a man is borne into the world.
22And ye now therefore haue sorrow: but I will see you againe, and your heart shall reioyce, and your ioy no man taketh from you.
- 2 Corinthians 4:17Rank 5 from verse 3
- Hebrews 12:10–11Rank 6 from verse 3
10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
10For they verily for a fewe dayes chastened vs after their owne pleasure, but hee for our profit, that we might bee partakers of his holinesse.
11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous, but grieuous: neuerthelesse, afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruite of righteousnesse, vnto them which are exercised thereby.
- James 1:2–4Rank 7 from verse 3
2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
2My brethren, count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations,
3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience,
4But let patience haue her perfect worke, that ye may be perfect, and entier, wanting nothing.
- Jeremiah 31:15–20Rank 8 from verse 3
15¶ Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
16Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
18¶ I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.
19Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
20Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.
15¶ *Thus saith the LORD; A voyce was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping: Rahel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
16Thus saith the LORD; Refraine thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from teares: for thy worke shall be rewarded, saith the LORD, and they shall come againe from the land of the enemie.
17And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come againe to their owne border.
18¶ I haue surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullocke vnaccustomed to the yoke: turne thou me, and I shall be turned; thou art the LORD my God.
19*Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote vpon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea euen confounded, because I did beare the reproch of my youth.
20† Is Ephraim my deare sonne? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I doe earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely haue mercy vpon him, saith the LORD.
- Daniel 10:19Rank 9 from verse 3
19And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
19And said; O man greatly beloued, feare not: peace be vnto thee, be strong, yea be strong; and when he had spoken vnto me, I was strengthened, and said; Let my LORD speake; for thou hast strengthened me.
- Jeremiah 31:8–9Rank 10 from verse 3
8Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
9They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
8Behold, I will bring them from the North countrey, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, and her that trauelleth with child together, a great company shall returne thither.
9‖*They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I leade them: I will cause them to walke by the riuers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first borne.
- Psalms 119:67Rank 13 from verse 3
- Psalms 119:71Rank 14 from verse 3
- Zechariah 12:10–14Rank 15 from verse 3
10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
12And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.
10*And I wil powre vpon the house of Dauid, and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications, and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pearced, and they shal mourne for him, as one mourneth for his onely sonne, and shall be in bitternesse for him, as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne.
11**In that day shall there bee a great mourning in Ierusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
12†And the land shal mourne, euery familie apart, the familie of the house of Dauid apart, and their wiues apart, the familie of the house of Nathan apart, and their wiues apart:
13The familie of the house of Leui apart, and their wiues apart: the familie of Shimei apart, and their wiues apart:
14All the families that remaine, euery family apart, & their wiues apart.
- Daniel 10:2–3Rank 16 from verse 3
2In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
3I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
2†In those dayes, I Daniel was mourning three full weekes.
3†I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh, nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoynt my selfe at all, till three whole weekes were fulfilled.
- Daniel 9:3–19Rank 17 from verse 3
3¶ And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
4And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
10Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
12And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
13As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
14Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
15And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16¶ O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
17Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.
18O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
3¶ And I set my face vnto the LORD God to seeke by prayer, and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
4*And I prayed vnto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said; O LORD, the great and dreadfull God, keeping the couenant, and mercy to them that loue him, and to them that keepe his Commandements:
5*We haue sinned, and haue committed iniquitie, and haue done wickedly, and haue rebelled, euen by departing from thy precepts, and from thy iudgements.
6Neither haue we hearkened vnto thy seruants the Prophets, which spake in thy Name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7‖O LORD, righteousnes belongeth vnto thee, but vnto vs confusion of faces, as at this day: to the men of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem, and vnto all Israel that are neere, and that are farre off, through all the countreys whither thou hast driuen them, because of their trespasse, that they haue trespassed against thee.
8*O LORD, to vs belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers; because we haue sinned against thee.
9To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgiuenesses, though we haue rebelled against him.
10Neither haue we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walke in his Lawes which he set before vs, by his seruants the Prophets.
11*Yea, all Israel haue transgressed thy Law, euen by departing, that they might not obey thy voice, therefore the curse is powred vpon vs, and the othe that is written in the Law of Moses the seruant of God, because we haue sinned against him.
12And he hath confirmed his words which he spake against vs, and against our Iudges that iudged vs, by bringing vpon vs a great euill: for vnder the whole heauen hath not bene done, as hath bene done vpon Ierusalem.
13*†As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this euill is come vpon vs: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turne from our iniquities, and vnderstand thy trueth.
14Therefore hath the LORD watched vpon the euil, and brought it vpon vs: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his workes, which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
15*†And now O LORD our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renowne, as at this day, wee haue sinned, wee haue done wickedly.
16¶ O LORD, according to all thy righteousnes, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy furie bee turned away from thy citie Ierusalem, thy holy Mountaine: because for our sinnes, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Ierusalem and thy people are become a reproch to all that are about vs.
17Now therefore, O our God, heare the prayer of thy seruant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuary that is desolate, for the LORDs sake.
18††O my God, encline thine eare and heare: open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, & the city, which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19O LORD heare, O LORD forgiue, O LORD hearken and doe: deferre not for thine owne sake, O my God: for thy citie, & thy people are called by thy Name.
- Jeremiah 50:4–5Rank 18 from verse 3
4¶ In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the Lord their God.
5They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.
4¶ In those daies, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they, and the children of Iudah together, going and weeping: they shall goe, and seeke the LORD their God.
5They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let vs ioyne our selues to the LORD, in a perpetuall Couenant that shall not be forgotten.
- Psalms 126:5–6Rank 19 from verse 3
5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
5‖They that sow in teares: shall reape in ioy.
6‖He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtlesse come againe with reioycing: bringing his sheaues with him.
WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE
Definitions
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DEFINED WORDS
Ecclesiastes 7:3
Sense 1: Grief, sadness, anguish, pain, regret, distress, trouble, or heaviness. Sense 2: To grieve or cause such pain.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: More excellent, more fitting, or to a greater degree. Sense 2: To improve or make better.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Convulsive merriment; an expression of mirth peculiar to man, consisting in a peculiar noise and configuration of features, with a shaking of the sides and expulsion of breath.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sorrowfulness, mournfulness, or dejection, especially as shown in the countenance.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
COMBINED MEANING
countenance
1. The face, or its appearance or expression. 2. Favour, regard, or presence expressed toward someone. 3. To favour or support.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: The bodily organ. Sense 2: The inward person: the mind, will, affections, conscience, or moral character.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Formed, caused, prepared, appointed, or brought into a stated condition.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
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Surrounding Verses
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2¶ It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
2¶ It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the liuing will lay it to his heart.
3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
3‖Sorrow is better then laughter: for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better.
Selected passage4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.