Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. New Living Translation Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. English Standard Version Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Berean Standard Bible The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one. King James Bible Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. New King James Version The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. New American Standard Bible The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than arrogance of spirit. NASB 1995 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. NASB 1977 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. Legacy Standard Bible Better is the end of a matter than its beginning; Better is patience of spirit than haughtiness of spirit. Amplified Bible The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit (pride). Christian Standard Bible The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. Holman Christian Standard Bible The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. American Standard Version Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Aramaic Bible in Plain English Better is the end of a matter than its beginning, and better is patience of spirit than pride of spirit Brenton Septuagint Translation The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded. Contemporary English Version Something completed is better than something just begun; patience is better than too much pride. Douay-Rheims Bible Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous. English Revised Version Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. GOD'S WORD® Translation The end of something is better than its beginning. It is better to be patient than arrogant. Good News Translation The end of something is better than its beginning. Patience is better than pride. International Standard Version The conclusion of something is better than its beginning, and a patient attitude is more valuable than a proud one. JPS Tanakh 1917 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Literal Standard Version Better [is] the latter end of a thing than its beginning, | Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit. Majority Standard Bible The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one. New American Bible Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a lofty one. NET Bible The end of a matter is better than its beginning; likewise, patience is better than pride. New Revised Standard Version Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit. New Heart English Bible Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Webster's Bible Translation Better is the end of a thing than its beginning: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. World English Bible Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Young's Literal Translation Better is the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better is the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Value of Wisdom…7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart. 8The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one. 9Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.… Cross References Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, Proverbs 14:29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly. Proverbs 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city. Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and one's day of death is better than his day of birth. Treasury of Scripture Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. better Psalm 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Isaiah 10:24,25,28-34 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt… Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. the patient Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. Jump to Previous Beginning Better End Gentle Haughtiness Haughty Latter Matter Patience Patient Pride Proud Spirit Start ThereofJump to Next Beginning Better End Gentle Haughtiness Haughty Latter Matter Patience Patient Pride Proud Spirit Start ThereofEcclesiastes 7 1. remedies against vanity are, a good name2. mortification 7. patience 11. wisdom 23. The difficulty of wisdom (8) Thing.--Here, as in Ecclesiastes 6:11 and elsewhere, we may also translate "word." Possibly the thought still is the advantage of bearing patiently "the rebuke of the wise."Verses 8-14. - Section 2. Here follow some recommendations to patience and resignation under the ordering of God's providence. Such conduct is shown to be true wisdom. Verse 8. - Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. This is not a repetition of the assertion in ver. I concealing the day of death and the day of birth, but states a truth in a certain sense generally true. The end is better because we then can form a right judgment about a matter; we see what was its purpose; we know whether it has been advantageous and prosperous or not. Christ's maxim, often repeated (see Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13; Romans 2:7; Hebrews 3:6, etc.), is, "He that shall endure unto the end shall be saved." No one living can be said to be so absolutely safe as that he can look to the great day without trembling. Death puts the seal to the good life, and, obviates the danger of falling away. Of course, if a thing is in itself evil, the gnome is not true (comp. Proverbs 5:3, 4; Proverbs 16:25, etc.); but applied to things indifferent at the outset, it is as correct as generalizations can be. The lesson of patience is here taught. A man should not be precipitate in his judgments, but wait for the issue. From the ambiguity in the expression dabar (see on Ecclesiastes 6:11), many render it "word "in this passage. Thus the Vulgate, Melior est finis orationis, quam principium; and the Septuagint, Ἀγαθὴ ἐσχάτη λόγων ὑπὲρ ἀρχὴν αὐτοῦ, where φωνή, or some such word, must be supplied. If this interpretation be preferred, we must either take the maxim as stating generally that few words are better than many, and that the sooner one concludes a speech, so much the better for speaker and hearer; or we must consider that the word intended is a well-merited rebuke, which, however severe and at first disliked, proves in the end wholesome and profitable. And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. "Patient" is literally "long of spirit," as the phrase, "short of spirit," is used in Proverbs 14:29 and Job 21:4 to denote one who loses his temper and is impatient. To wait calmly for the result of an action, not to be hasty in arraigning Providence, is the part of a patient man; while the proud, inflated, conceited man, who thinks all must be arranged according to his notions, is never resigned or content, but rebels against the ordained course of events. "In your patience ye shall win your souls," said Christ (Luke 21:19); and a Scotch proverb declares wisely, "He that weel bides, weel betides." Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The endאַחֲרִ֥ית (’a·ḥă·rîṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 319: The last, end, the future, posterity of a matter דָּבָ֖ר (dā·ḇār) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause is better ט֛וֹב (ṭō·wḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good than the beginning, מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֑וֹ (mê·rê·šî·ṯōw) Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7225: The first, in place, time, order, rank [and] a patient אֶֽרֶךְ־ (’e·reḵ-) Adjective - masculine singular construct Strong's 750: Long spirit ר֖וּחַ (rū·aḥ) Noun - common singular Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit is better ט֥וֹב (ṭō·wḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good than a proud מִגְּבַהּ־ (mig·gə·ḇah-) Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular construct Strong's 1362: High, proud [one]. רֽוּחַ׃ (rū·aḥ) Noun - common singular Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit Links Ecclesiastes 7:8 NIVEcclesiastes 7:8 NLT Ecclesiastes 7:8 ESV Ecclesiastes 7:8 NASB Ecclesiastes 7:8 KJV Ecclesiastes 7:8 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 7:8 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 7:8 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 7:8 French Bible Ecclesiastes 7:8 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing (Ecclesiast. 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