Other translations
American Standard Version
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Darby Bible Translation
Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Holy Bible: Douay-Rheims Version (Genuine Leather Black)
Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
ERV 1885 English Revised Version with Strong's Concordance
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
English Standard Version Journaling Bible
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
God's Word
Don't ask, "Why were things better in the old days than they are now?" It isn't wisdom that leads you to ask this!
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" since it is not wise of you to ask this.
International Standard Version
Never ask "Why does the past seem so much better than now?" because this question does not come from wisdom.
NET Bible
Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these days?" for it is not wise to ask that.
New American Standard Bible
Do not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
New International Version
Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.
New Living Translation
Don't long for "the good old days." This is not wise.
Webster's Bible Translation
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
The World English Bible
Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.
EasyEnglish Bible
Do not say, ‘Everything was a lot better in the past.’ Those are not wise thoughts.
Young‘s Literal Translation
Say not thou, `What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.
New Life Version
Do not say, “Why were the days of the past better than these?” For it is not wise to ask this.
The Voice Bible
Do not ask, “Where have all the good times gone?” Wisdom knows better than to ask such a thing.
Living Bible
Don’t long for “the good old days,” for you don’t know whether they were any better than these!
New Catholic Bible
Do not assert that the past was better than the present, for such a statement is not a sign of wisdom.
Legacy Standard Bible
Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
Jubilee Bible 2000
Never say, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Christian Standard Bible
Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” since it is not wise of you to ask this.
Amplified Bible © 1954
Do not say, Why were the old days better than these? For it is not wise or because of wisdom that you ask this.
New Century Version
Don’t ask, “Why was life better in the ‘good old days’?” It is not wise to ask such questions.
The Message
Don’t always be asking, “Where are the good old days?” Wise folks don’t ask questions like that.
Evangelical Heritage Version ™
Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” Wisdom would not lead you to ask such a question.
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
Good News Translation®
Never ask, “Oh, why were things so much better in the old days?” It's not an intelligent question.
Wycliffe Bible
Say thou not, What guessest thou is the cause, that the former times were better than be now? for why such asking is fond (for such questioning is foolish).
Contemporary English Version
It isn't wise to ask, “Why is everything worse than it used to be?”
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
Common English Bible © 2011
Don’t ask, “How is it that the former days were better than these?” because it isn’t wise to ask this.
Amplified Bible © 2015
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
English Standard Version Anglicised
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Do not say: How is it that former times were better than these? For it is not out of wisdom that you ask about this.
New American Standard Bible
Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
The Expanded Bible
Don’t ·ask [L say], “Why ·was life better in the ‘good old days’ [L were the former days better than these]?” It is not ·wise [L from wisdom] to ask ·such questions [L this].
Tree of Life Version
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
Revised Standard Version
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
New International Reader's Version
Don’t say, “Why were things better in the good old days?” It isn’t wise to ask that kind of question.
BRG Bible
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Complete Jewish Bible
Don’t ask why the old days were better than now, because that is a foolish question.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Say thou not, What is the cause that the yamim harishonim were better than these? For it is not because of chochmah that thou dost inquire concerning this.
Names of God Bible
Don’t ask, “Why were things better in the old days than they are now?” It isn’t wisdom that leads you to ask this!
Modern English Version
Do not say, “Why were the earlier days better than these days?” For it is not from wisdom that you inquire this.
Easy-to-Read Version
Don’t say, “Life was better in the ‘good old days.’ What happened?” Wisdom does not lead us to ask that question.
International Children’s Bible
Don’t ask, “Why was life better in the ‘good old days’?” It is not wise to ask such questions.
Lexham English Bible
Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
New International Version - UK
Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions.