Ecclesiastes 10:2

2 The heart of a wise man is in his right side; and the heart of a fool is in his left side. (The heart of a wise person is in the right; and the heart of a fool is in the wrong.)

Ecclesiastes 10:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 10:2

A wise man's heart [is] at his right hand
This is not designed to express the direct position and situation of the heart of man, wise or foolish, which is the same in both; and which, according to anatomists, is in the middle of the body, inclining to the left side; but the understanding and wisdom of men, as Aben Ezra observes; which, with a wise man, is ready a hand to direct and assist him in any affair; and which under the influence of it, he goes about with great readiness and dexterity, and performs it with great ease and facility, without sinister ends and selfish views; it inclines him to pursue the true way to honour, heaven, and happiness, which lies to the right; to seek things that are above, at the right hand of God; and, in all, his honour and glory; but a fool's heart [is] at his left;
he is at a loss for wisdom and understanding to direct him, when he has an affair of any moment upon his hand; which he goes about in an awkward manner, as left handed persons do, and has sinister ends in what he does; and he is to every good work reprobate and unfit, and seeks earth and earthly things, which lie to the left, and in all himself. The Targum is,

``the heart of a wise man is to get the law, which was given by the right hand of the Lord; and the heart of a fool to get the goods of gold and silver:''

so Jarchi,

``his wisdom is ready to incline him (the wise man) to the right hand way for his good; but the heart of a fool to pervert him from it.''

The ancients ^F15 used to call things wise and prudent the right hand and things foolish the left hand.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Suidas in voce (dexia) .

Ecclesiastes 10:2 In-Context

1 Flies that die (in it), lose the sweetness of [the] ointment. A little folly at some time is more precious than wisdom and glory. (Flies that die in an ointment can destroy its sweetness. And so a little foolishness can sometimes destroy wisdom and glory.)

2 The heart of a wise man is in his right side; and the heart of a fool is in his left side. (The heart of a wise person is in the right; and the heart of a fool is in the wrong.)

3 But also a fool going in the way, when he is unwise, guesseth all men fools. (And a fool, going on the way, since he is unwise, thinketh that all the other people be fools.)

4 If the spirit of him, that hath power, goeth upon thee, forsake thou not thy place (If the spirit of him, who hath power, goeth against thee, do not leave thy position, that is, do not resign thy post); for curing, or taking heed, shall make (the) greatest sins to cease.

5 An evil there is, that I saw under the sun, and going out as by error from the face of the prince; (There is an evil that I saw under the sun, and going out as an error from the leader, or from the ruler;)