ECC 7:10 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not necessarily natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for Bible-translators and others doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still early looks into the drafted texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal Speaker(s)=Narrator (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Μὴ εἴπῃς, τί ἐγένετο, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι αἱ πρότεραι ἦσαν ἀγαθαὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτας; ὅτι οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐπηρώτησας περὶ τούτου.
(Maʸ eipaʸs, ti egeneto, hoti hai haʸmerai hai proterai aʸsan agathai huper tautas; hoti ouk en sofia epaʸrōtaʸsas peri toutou.)

BrTr Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

ULT ⇔ Do not say, “What was, that the former days were better than these?”
⇔ For you do not ask about this out of wisdom.

UST ⇔ Neither should you complain and wonder why it seems that life in the past was preferable to the present.
⇔ Surely, only foolish nostalgia, not wise reflection, causes this kind of comment.

BSB & MSB Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
⇔ For it is unwise of you to ask about this.

OEB No OEB ECC 7:10 book available

WEBBE & WMBB Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.

NET Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these days?”
⇔ for it is not wise to ask that.

LSV Do not say, “What was it,
That the former days were better than these?” For you have not asked wisely of this.

FBV Don't ask, “Why were the good old days better than now?” Asking such questions shows you are not wise.

T4T ⇔ Do not say, “Things were a lot better [RHQ] previously,”
⇔ because it is people who are not wise who say that.

LEB • Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?”
• For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

BBE Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom.

Moff Never ask why the past was better than the present
⇔ that is a foolish question.

JPS Say not thou: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?' for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.

ASV Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

DRA (ECC 7:11) Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.

YLT Say not thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.

Drby Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

RV Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
(Say not thou/you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou/you dost/do not enquire wisely concerning this.)

SLT Thou shalt not say, Why was it the former days were good above these? for thou didst not ask from wisdom concerning this.

Wbstr Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

KJB-1769 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.[fn]
(Say not thou/you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou/you dost/do not enquire wisely concerning this.)

7.10 wisely: Heb. out of wisdom

KJB-1611 [fn]Say not thou, What is the cause that the former dayes were better then these? For thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this.
(Say not thou/you, What is the cause that the former days were better then these? For thou/you dost/do not enquire wisely concerning this.)

7:10 Heb. out of wisedome.

Bshps Say not thou, What is the cause that the dayes of the old time were better then they that be nowe? for that were no wyse question.
(Say not thou/you, What is the cause that the days of the old time were better then they that be now? for that were no wise question.)

Gnva The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.
(The end of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit.)

Cvdl Saye not thou: What is the cause that ye dayes of ye olde tyme were better, then they yt be now? for that were no wyse question.
(Say not thou: What is the cause that ye/you_all days of ye/you_all old time were better, then they it be now? for that were no wise question.)

Wycl (ECC 7:11) Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned.
(Say thou/you not, What guessest/guess thou/you is of cause, that the former times were better than been now? for why such asking is foolish.)

Luth Sprich nicht: Was ist‘s, daß die vorigen Tage besser waren denn diese? Denn du fragest solches nicht weislich.
(Speak not: What it_is, that the previous days better were because/than this/these? Because you(sg) ask such not wisely.)

ClVg (ECC 7:11) Ne dicas: Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt? stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.[fn]
(Don’t say: What you_think causes it_is that previous times better were how now are? stupid because it_is of_this_kind question(n).)

7.11 Quid putas? Aliter: Sic debes vivere, ut semper præsentes dies sint tibi meliores, quam præteriti. Semper est enim tempus operandi, ne cum cœperis decrescere, dicatur: Currebatis bene, quis vos impedivit non obedire veritati? Gal. 5.

7.11 What you_think? Otherwise: So you_owe to_live, as always presents days let_them_be to_you better, how passed_by. Always it_is because time/season operandi, not when/with you_may_have_begun to_decrease, be_said: You(pl)_were_running well, who/any you(pl) hindered not/no to_obey to_the_truth? Gal. 5.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מֶ֣ה הָיָ֔ה שֶׁ֤⁠הַ⁠יָּמִים֙ הָ⁠רִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים הָי֥וּ טוֹבִ֖ים מֵ⁠אֵ֑לֶּה

what? it_became (cmp),the,days (the),former they_were better from=these

Solomon is using the question form to warn against idealizing the past. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [The former days were better than these!]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

אַל תֹּאמַר֙ מֶ֣ה הָיָ֔ה שֶׁ֤⁠הַ⁠יָּמִים֙ הָ⁠רִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים הָי֥וּ טוֹבִ֖ים מֵ⁠אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֛י לֹ֥א מֵ⁠חָכְמָ֖ה שָׁאַ֥לְתָּ עַל זֶֽה

not say what? it_became (cmp),the,days (the),former they_were better from=these that/for/because/then/when not from,wisdom ask on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in this

The word translated as For indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [Do not say, “What was, that the former days were better than these?” The reason is that you do not ask about this out of wisdom]

Parallel ECC 7:10