The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 7:14 Explained

Ecclesiastes 7:14

KJV: In 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.

YLT: In a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of evil consider. Also this over-against that hath God made, To the intent that man doth not find anything after him.

Darby: In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing of what shall be after him.

ASV: In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In 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. 

What does Ecclesiastes 7:14 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 7

1  remedies against vanity are, a good name
2  mortification
7  patience
11  wisdom
23  The difficulty of wisdom

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 7:14 mean?

in the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider surely - this [one] as well as this [one] has appointed God to the end so that nothing can find out man [that will come] after him nothing
בְּי֤וֹם טוֹבָה֙ הֱיֵ֣ה בְט֔וֹב וּבְי֥וֹם רָעָ֖ה רְאֵ֑ה גַּ֣ם אֶת־ זֶ֤ה לְעֻמַּת־ זֶה֙ עָשָׂ֣ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־ דִּבְרַ֗ת שֶׁלֹּ֨א יִמְצָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם אַחֲרָ֖יו מְאֽוּמָה

בְּי֤וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
טוֹבָה֙  of  prosperity 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
בְט֔וֹב  joyful 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וּבְי֥וֹם  but  in  the  day 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
רָעָ֖ה  of  adversity 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
רְאֵ֑ה  consider 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
גַּ֣ם  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
זֶ֤ה  this  [one] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לְעֻמַּת־  as  well  as 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: עֻמָּה  
Sense: juxtaposition.
זֶה֙  this  [one] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
עָשָׂ֣ה  has  appointed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
דִּבְרַ֗ת  the  end 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: דִּבְרָה  
Sense: cause, manner, reason.
שֶׁלֹּ֨א  so  that  nothing 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִמְצָ֧א  can  find  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
הָֽאָדָ֛ם  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
אַחֲרָ֖יו  [that  will  come]  after  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
מְאֽוּמָה  nothing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְאוּמָה  
Sense: anything.