Bible Strands
Ecclesiastes 7:1
A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The author addresses readers with a series of wisdom comparisons that contrast present comforts with future realities.
The words — שֵׁם (shem) translates literally as "name," and הַמָּוֶת (ha-mavet) translates literally as "death."
The thread — The preference for a good name over material wealth runs through Proverbs 22:1, while the positive view of mortality aligns with Revelation 14:13.
Why it lands — The text states that reputation and mortality outweigh temporary pleasures, demanding that readers prioritize lasting legacy over immediate gratification.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Cross-references
- Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven telling me to write, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.”
- Proverbs 22:1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.
- Ecclesiastes 4:2 So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
- 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
- Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
- Proverbs 27:9 Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the counsel of a friend is sweetness to the soul.
- Song of Solomon 1:3 The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you.
- Ecclesiastes 10:1 As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
- Job 3:17 There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.