Ecclesiastes 7:1

"Better is a name than precious ointment; and better is the day of death than the day when one is born." Like ראה and ירא, so שׁם and שׁמן stand to each other in the relation of a paronomasia (vid., Song under Sol 1:3). Luther translates: "Ein gut Gercht ist besser denn gute Salbe" "a good odour (= reputation) is better than good ointment. If we substitute the expression denn Wolgeruch than sweet scent, that would be the best possible rendering of the paronomasia. In the arrangement טוב ... טוב שׁם, tov would be adj. to shem (a good reputation goes beyond sweet scent); but tov standing first in the sentence is pred., and shem thus in itself alone, as in the cogn. prov., Pro 22:1, signifies a good, well-sounding, honourable, if not venerable name; cf. anshē hashshem, Gen 6:4; veli-shem, nameless, Job 30:8. The author gives the dark reverse to this bright side of the distich: the day of death better than the day in which one (a man), or he (the man), is born; cf. for this reference of the pronoun, Ecc 4:12; Ecc 5:17. It is the same lamentation as at Ecc 4:2., which sounds less strange from the mouth of a Greek than from that of an Israelite; a Thracian tribe, the Trausi, actually celebrated their birthdays as days of sadness, and the day of death as a day of rejoicing (vid., Bhr's Germ. translat. of Herodotus, Ecc 4:4). - Among the people of the Old Covenant this was not possible; also a saying such as Ecc 7:1 is not in the spirit of the O.T. revelation of religion; yet it is significant that it was possible (Note: "The reflections of the Preacher," says Hitzig (Sd. deut. ev. protest. Woch. Blatt, 1864, No. 2) "present the picture of a time in which men, participating in the recollection of a mighty religious past, and become sceptical by reason of the sadness of the pre…

In these verses Solomon lays down some great truths which seem paradoxes to the unthinking part, that is, the far greatest part, of mankind. I. That the honour of virtue is really more valuable and desirable than all the wealth and pleasure in this world (Ecc 7:1): A good name is before good ointment (so it may be read); it is preferable to it, and will be rather chosen by all that are wise. Good ointment is here put for all the profits of the earth (among the products of which oil was reckoned one of the most valuable), for all the delights of sense (for ointment and perfume which rejoice the heart, and it is called the oil of gladness), nay, and for the highest titles of honour with which men are dignified, for kings are anointed. A good name is better than all riches (Pro 21:1), that is, a name for wisdom and goodness with those that are wise and good - the memory of the just; this is a good that will bring a more grateful pleasure to the mind, will give a man a larger opportunity of usefulness, and will go further, and last longer, than the most precious box of ointment; for Christ paid Mary for her ointment with a good name, a name in the gospels (Mat 26:13), and we are sure he always pays with advantage. II. That, all things considered, our going out of the world is a great kindness to us than our coming into the world was: The day of death is preferable to the birthday; though, as to others, there was joy when a child was born into the world, and where there is death there is lamentation, yet, as to ourselves, if we have lived so as to merit a good name, the day of our death, which will put a period to our cares, and toils, and sorrows, and remove us to rest, and joy, and eternal satisfaction, is better than the day of our birth, which ushered us into a world of…

7:1-4 These proverbs are similar to the sayings in the book of Proverbs. 7:1 The effort to pursue luxuries such as costly perfume is better spent seeking a good reputation for wisdom and righteousness (Prov 22:1; 28:6). • the day you die is better than the day you are born: There is a sense of relief when the troubles of life are over. The difficulties of life can make one look forward to the peace of death (Eccl 1:18; 2:22; 4:2-3; 12:1).