KJV ORIGINAL
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Sorrow is better than laughter, because when our face shows sadness, our heart becomes wiser.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is saying that times of sorrow can actually improve our hearts and make us wiser people, more than times of laughter can.
📚 Historical Context
This comes from Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon (or in his tradition) during a time when he was reflecting deeply on life's meaning. In ancient Hebrew wisdom literature, writers often explored paradoxes and counterintuitive truths about human experience. The context here follows verses about death and mourning being more valuable teachers than celebration.
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