Ecclesiastes 7:1
A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
Leeser Tanakh
In The King James Version
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
In Context
Cross References
Ruth 3:14And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, It must not be known that this woman came into the threshing-floor.
Psalms 133:2[It is] like the precious oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, yea, Aaron's beard, which runneth down upon the upper border of his garments;
Proverbs 22:1A good name is preferable to abundant riches, and good grace, to silver and to gold.
Proverbs 27:9Oil and perfume cause the heart to rejoice, and so do the sweet words of a friend more than one's own counsel.
Ecclesiastes 10:1Dead flies cause the precious oil of the apothecary to become stinking and foaming; so doth a little folly him that is valued for wisdom and honor.
Song of Solomon 4:10How beautiful are thy caresses, O my sister, [my] bride! how much more pleasant are thy caresses than wine! and the smell of thy fragrant oils more than all spices.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 7:1
Solomon had given many proofs and instances of the vanity of this world and the things of it; now, in this chapter, I. He recommends to us some good means proper to be used for the redress of these grievances and the arming of ourselves against the mischief we are in danger of from them, that we may make the best of the bad, as 1. Care of our reputation, ver. 1 . 2. Seriousness, ver. 2-6 . 3. Calmness of spirit, ver. 7-10 . 4. Prudence in the management of all our affairs, ver. 11, 12 . 5. Submission to the will… Read the whole commentary →