Ecclesiastes 7:3

Authorized King James Version (1611)

Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

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Referenced Verses

  • 2 Cor 7:9-9 : 9 Now 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. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11 For 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.
  • Heb 12:10-11 : 10 For 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. 11 Now 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.
  • Rom 5:3-4 : 3 And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
  • Jas 4:8-9 : 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
  • 2 Cor 4:17 : 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory;
  • Jas 1:2-4 : 2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
  • Ps 119:67 : 67 ¶ Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
  • Ps 119:71 : 71 ¶ It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
  • Ps 126:5-6 : 5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].
  • Jer 31:8-9 : 8 Behold, 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. 9 They 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.
  • Jer 31:15-20 : 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. 16 Thus 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. 17 And 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. 19 Surely 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. 20 [Is] 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.
  • Jer 50:4-5 : 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. 5 They 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.
  • Dan 9:3-9 : 3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 4 ¶ And 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; 5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 6 Neither 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. 7 O 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. 8 O Lord, to us [belongeth] confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. 9 To the Lord our God [belong] mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; 10 Neither 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. 11 Yea, 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. 12 And 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. 13 As [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. 14 Therefore 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. 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 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. 17 Now 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. 18 O 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. 19 O 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.
  • Dan 10:2-3 : 2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 3 I 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.
  • Dan 10:19 : 19 And 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.
  • Zech 12:10-14 : 10 And 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. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12 And 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; 13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.
  • Luke 6:21 : 21 ‹Blessed› [are ye] ‹that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed› [are ye] ‹that weep now: for ye shall laugh.›
  • Luke 6:25 : 25 ‹Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.›
  • John 16:20-22 : 20 ‹Verily, 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.› 21 ‹A 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.› 22 ‹And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.›

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 7:1-2
    2 verses
    85%

    1¶ A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

    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.

  • Prov 15:13
    84%

    13¶ A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

  • Prov 14:13
    84%

    13¶ Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness.

  • Eccl 7:4-10
    7 verses
    84%

    4The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.

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

    6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.

    7¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

    8Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.

    9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

    10Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

  • Prov 17:22
    77%

    22¶ A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

  • Jas 4:9
    77%

    9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.

  • Prov 12:25
    76%

    25¶ Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

  • Prov 15:15-16
    2 verses
    75%

    15¶ All the days of the afflicted [are] evil: but he that is of a merry heart [hath] a continual feast.

    16¶ Better [is] little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

  • Eccl 3:4
    74%

    4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

  • Eccl 7:14
    74%

    14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

  • Eccl 2:1-2
    2 verses
    73%

    1¶ I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity.

    2I said of laughter, [It is] mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

  • Eccl 1:17-18
    2 verses
    73%

    17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

    18For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

  • Eccl 11:7-10
    4 verses
    73%

    7¶ Truly the light [is] sweet, and a pleasant [thing it is] for the eyes to behold the sun:

    8But if a man live many years, [and] rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh [is] vanity.

    9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.

    10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.

  • 2 Cor 7:9-10
    2 verses
    72%

    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.

  • Eccl 8:15
    71%

    15Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

  • Eccl 3:12
    71%

    12I know that [there is] no good in them, but for [a man] to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

  • Eccl 4:3
    71%

    3Yea, better [is he] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

  • Lam 5:15
    71%

    15The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

  • Job 3:20
    71%

    20¶ Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter [in] soul;

  • Prov 25:20
    70%

    20¶ [As] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so [is] he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

  • Eccl 6:9
    70%

    9Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Prov 15:30
    70%

    30¶ The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: [and] a good report maketh the bones fat.

  • Eccl 3:22
    70%

    22Wherefore I perceive that [there is] nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that [is] his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

  • Jer 8:18
    70%

    18[When] I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart [is] faint in me.

  • Prov 3:13
    70%

    13¶ Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.

  • Matt 5:4
    69%

    4‹Blessed› [are] ‹they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.›

  • Isa 24:7
    69%

    7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

  • Eccl 9:3
    69%

    3This [is] an evil among all [things] that are done under the sun, that [there is] one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness [is] in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

  • Eccl 2:23
    69%

    23For all his days [are] sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

  • Eccl 9:7
    69%

    7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

  • Prov 14:10
    69%

    10¶ The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

  • Eccl 5:17
    69%

    17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and [he hath] much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

  • Eccl 7:25
    69%

    25I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:

  • Prov 19:3
    69%

    3¶ The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

  • Job 3:22
    68%

    22Which rejoice exceedingly, [and] are glad, when they can find the grave?