Ecclesiastes 7:7 Parallel Translations

NASB:

GWT:

Oppression can turn a wise person into a fool, and a bribe can corrupt the mind.(GOD'S WORD®)

KJV:

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

ASV:

Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.

BBE:

The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart.

DBY:

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.

ERV:

Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.

JPS:

Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.

WBS:

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

WEB:

Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

YLT:

Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:7 Cross References

XREF:

Exodus 23:8 "You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.

Deuteronomy 16:19 "You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

Proverbs 17:8 A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom To pervert the ways of justice.

Ecclesiastes 4:1 Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. (NASB ©1995)

Commentaries and Concordances

GSB:

7:7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man {e} mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
(e) A man that is esteemed wise, when he falls to oppression, becomes like a beast.

WES:

7:7 A gift - A bribe given to a wise man, deprives him of the use of his understanding. So this verse discovers two ways whereby a wise man may be made mad, by suffering oppression from others, or by receiving bribes to oppress others. And this also is an argument of the vanity of worldly wisdom that is so easily corrupted and lost.

MHC:

7:7-10 The event of our trials and difficulties is often better than at first we thought. Surely it is better to be patient in spirit, than to be proud and hasty. Be not soon angry, nor quick in resenting an affront. Be not long angry; though anger may come into the bosom of a wise man, it passes through it as a way-faring man; it dwells only in the bosom of fools. It is folly to cry out upon the badness of our times, when we have more reason to cry out for the badness of our own hearts; and even in these times we enjoy many mercies. It is folly to cry up the goodness of former times; as if former ages had not the like things to complain of that we have: this arises from discontent, and aptness to quarrel with God himself.

CONC:

Bribe Corrupts Cruel Destroyeth Destroys Destruction Extortion Fool Foolish Gift Giving Heart Mad Makes Maketh Mind Money Oppression Surely Troubled Turneth Turns Understanding Wise

Bribe Corrupts Cruel Destroyeth Destroys Destruction Extortion Fool Foolish Gift Heart Mad Makes Maketh Mind Money Oppression Surely Troubled Turneth Turns Understanding Ways Wise

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GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

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