Ecclesiastes 7:16 (GNV)

Passage

In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 7:14 For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

Ecclesiastes 7:15 Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

Ecclesiastes 7:16 In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.

Ecclesiastes 7:18 Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wealth", "good", "comfort", "affliction", "consider", "hath", "contrary", and "intent". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wealth" and "good", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Beholde the worke of God for who..." into verse 17's "I haue seene all things in the...", so "wealth" and "good" belong inside that flow. In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "wealth" and "good" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.