Ecclesiastes 10:15

15 A decent day's work so fatigues fools That they can't find their way back to town.

Ecclesiastes 10:15 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 10:15

The labour of the foolish wearieth everyone of them
The labour of fools, both in speaking and doing, weary those who have any concern with them, and themselves likewise, since all their labour is vain and fruitless; because he knoweth not how to go to the city;
to any city, the road to which is usually broad, and plain and easy to be found, and yet cannot be found by the foolish man; showing, that he that talks of abstruse things, things too high and wonderful for him, which he affects to know, must needs be a stranger to them, since things the most easy to be understood he is ignorant of, and wearies himself to find; or he does not know how to behave himself in a city, among citizens, in a civil and polite manner. The Targum is,

``he learns not to go to the city, where wise men dwell, to learn instruction from it.''
Some interpret it of the city of Jerusalem, where were the temple, sanhedrim, synagogues, schools but it may be better applied to the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, which fools or wicked men know not the way unto, nor do they seek after it; see ( Psalms 107:7 ) ( Matthew 7:13 Matthew 7:14 ) ; so Alshech interprets it of heaven.

Ecclesiastes 10:15 In-Context

13 He starts out talking nonsense And ends up spouting insanity and evil.
14 Fools talk way too much, Chattering stuff they know nothing about.
15 A decent day's work so fatigues fools That they can't find their way back to town.
16 Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup, And whose princes party all night.
17 Lucky the land whose king is mature, Where the princes behave themselves And don't drink themselves silly.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.