Ecclesiastes 7:3

KJV1611 – Modern English

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the face the heart is made better.

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Referenced Verses

  • 2 Cor 7:9-9 : 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner, what diligence it produced in you, yes, what clearing of yourselves, yes, what indignation, yes, what fear, yes, what vehement desire, yes, what zeal, yes, what vindication! In all things you have proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
  • Heb 12:10-11 : 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but he for our benefit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful: nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
  • Rom 5:3-4 : 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces patience; 4 And patience, character; and character, hope:
  • Jas 4:8-9 : 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.
  • 2 Cor 4:17 : 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
  • Jas 1:2-4 : 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials; 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
  • Ps 119:67 : 67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word.
  • Ps 119:71 : 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.
  • Ps 126:5-6 : 5 Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He who goes forth weeping, 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 ends of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she who is in labor together: a great company shall return there. 9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, in which they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
  • Jer 31:15-20 : 15 Thus says the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. 16 Thus says the LORD; Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears: for your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. 17 And there is hope in your future, says the LORD, that your children shall come again to their own border. 18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; You have chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bull not accustomed to the yoke: turn me, and I shall be turned; for you are the LORD my God. 19 Surely, after I was turned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh: I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, because I bore the reproach of my youth. 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, says the LORD.
  • Jer 50:4-5 : 4 In those days and at that time, says 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 toward it, saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten.
  • Dan 9:3-9 : 3 And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes: 4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 5 We have sinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and from Your judgments: 6 Neither have we listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us belongs confusion of face, as it is this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those near and those far off, through all the countries where You have driven them, because of their trespass which they have trespassed against You. 8 O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, 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 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, even by departing, that they might not obey Your 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 has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great calamity: for under the whole heaven, such as has been done upon Jerusalem has not been done. 13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us: yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD has watched over the calamity, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all His works which He does: for we have not obeyed His voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 16 O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I plead with You, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain: because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all around us. 17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and cause Your face to shine upon Your sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. 18 O my God, incline Your ear, and hear; open Your eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name: for we do not present our supplications before You for our righteousness, but for Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act; do not delay, for Your own sake, O my God: for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.
  • Dan 10:2-3 : 2 In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. 3 I ate no desirable food, neither did meat nor wine enter my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were completed.
  • Dan 10:19 : 19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not; peace be to you, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken to me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak, for you have 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 supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo. 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 you that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are you that weep now: for you shall laugh.
  • Luke 6:25 : 25 Woe to you that are full! for you shall hunger. Woe to you that laugh now! for you shall mourn and weep.
  • John 16:20-22 : 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice: and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come: but as soon as she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a man has been born into the world. 22 And now you have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy 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%

    1A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death is better than the day of one's birth.

    2It 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 take it to heart.

  • Prov 15:13
    84%

    13A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

  • Prov 14:13
    84%

    13Even 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 laughter.

    5It 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.

    7Surely oppression makes a wise man mad, and a bribe destroys the heart.

    8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

    9Do not be quick in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

    10Do not say, 'Why were the former days better than these?' for you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

  • Prov 17:22
    77%

    22A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.

  • Jas 4:9
    77%

    9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom.

  • Prov 12:25
    76%

    25Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.

  • Prov 15:15-16
    2 verses
    75%

    15All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who has a merry heart has a continual feast.

    16Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with trouble.

  • 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 has set the one against the other, so that man should find nothing after him.

  • Eccl 2:1-2
    2 verses
    73%

    1I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure." And behold, this also is vanity.

    2I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?"

  • Eccl 1:17-18
    2 verses
    73%

    17And I set my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after wind.

    18For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

  • Eccl 11:7-10
    4 verses
    73%

    7Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun.

    8But if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all, let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is vanity.

    9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes — but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

    10Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.

  • 2 Cor 7:9-10
    2 verses
    72%

    9Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer damage by us in nothing.

    10For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world produces death.

  • Eccl 8:15
    71%

    15So I commended joy, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.

  • Eccl 3:12
    71%

    12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives.

  • Eccl 4:3
    71%

    3Yes, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

  • Lam 5:15
    71%

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

  • Job 3:20
    71%

    20Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul;

  • Prov 25:20
    70%

    20Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, and like vinegar on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

  • Eccl 6:9
    70%

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

  • Prov 15:30
    70%

    30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones healthy.

  • Eccl 3:22
    70%

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

  • Jer 8:18
    70%

    18When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint within me.

  • Prov 3:13
    70%

    13Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gains understanding.

  • Matt 5:4
    69%

    4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

  • Isa 24:7
    69%

    7The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted do sigh.

  • Eccl 9:3
    69%

    3This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes, 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 sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

  • Eccl 9:7
    69%

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

  • Prov 14:10
    69%

    10The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy.

  • Eccl 5:17
    69%

    17All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

  • Eccl 7:25
    69%

    25I applied my heart to know, to search, and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even foolishness and madness.

  • Prov 19:3
    69%

    3The foolishness of man perverts his way, and his heart frets against the LORD.

  • Job 3:22
    68%

    22Who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?