Ecclesiastes 7:14

In times of prosperity ¹  be joyful, but in times of adversity ²  consider this: God has made one as well as the other, ³  so that no one can discover what the future holds. ⁴ 

De 8:3; De 28:47; 1Ki 8:47; 1Ki 17:17,18; 2Ch 33:12,13; Job 10:1,2; Ps 30:11,12; Ps 40:3; Ps 94:12,13; Ps 119:71; Ec 3:4; Ec 12:8,13; Isa 22:12-14; Isa 26:11; Isa 42:25; Jer 23:20; Ho 2:6,7; Mic 6:9; Hag 1:5-7; Mt 9:13; Lu 15:17,18; Joh 16:22,23; Ac 14:22; Jas 5:13

¹ tn Heb “the day of good.”

² tn Heb “the day of evil.”

³ tn Less probable renderings of this line are “God hath made the one side by side with the other” (ASV) and “God has set the one alongside the other” (NEB).

⁴ tn Heb “anything after him.” This line is misinterpreted by several versions: “that man may not find against him any just complaint” (Douay); “consequently, man may find no fault with Him” (NJPS); “so that man cannot find fault with him in anything” (NAB).