Ecclesiastes 10:5-20

5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were ¹an error proceeding from the ruler:

6 ²folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.

7 ³I have seen slaves ⁴on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

8 He who ⁵digs a pit will fall into it, and ⁶a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.

9 ⁷He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who ⁸splits logs is endangered by them.

10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.^[a]

11 If the serpent bites before it is ⁹charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer.

12 The words of a wise man's mouth ¹⁰win him favor,^[b] but ¹¹the lips of a fool consume him.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness.

14 ¹²A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him ¹³what will be after him?

15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know ¹⁴the way to the city.

16 ¹⁵Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!

17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for ¹⁶drunkenness!

18 Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.

19 Bread is made for laughter, and ¹⁷wine gladdens life, and ¹⁸money answers everything.

20 Even in your thoughts, ¹⁹do not curse the king, nor in your ²⁰bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.

Ecclesiastes 10:5-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 10

This chapter treats of the difference between wisdom and folly; and of the preferableness of the one, to the other, especially in civil government: folly is compared to a dead or deadly fly; a little of which as much hurts a wise man's reputation, as that does the most precious ointment, Ec 10:1. A wise man and a fool differ in the situation of their heart; which is in the one on the right hand, in the other on the left, Ec 10:2; the folly of the latter lies not only in his heart, but betrays itself throughout the whole of his conversation, Ec 10:3. And it is one part of wisdom in a subject to bear patiently the anger of his prince, and not in a passion and at once leave his service, Ec 10:4. And, among the follies of princes, this is a great one; to bestow their honours and favours on improper persons, to the neglect of such as are deserving, Ec 10:5-7. And several proverbial expressions are used, as cautions to a wise man against plotting mischief to others; breaking in upon the constitution and laws of a commonwealth; weakening the strength of the state by an methods, and making discord in it, and carrying thin by mere strength and force; when, if wisdom used, it would direct to proper ways and means, by which things would be managed to the best advantage, Ec 10:8-10. Then the babbling of fools against a government is exposed, which is like the secret bite of a serpent, Ec 10:11; and the difference between the words of wise men, which express grace and kindness, and are amiable and acceptable to men; and those of fools, which destroy themselves, begin in folly, and end in mischief; are noisy, and without meaning; do not direct to things most plain and easy, but wearisome and fatiguing to themselves and others, Ec 10:12-15. Next the unhappiness of a land is observed, when the governors of it are childish, intemperate, slothful, and prodigal; the happiness of a country when it is the reverse, Ec 10:16-19; and the chapter is concluded with advice not to curse a king, or any great personage; no, not in the most private and secret manner; since, by one means or another, it will be discovered Ec 10:20.

Cross References

• 1. Ecclesiastes 5:6
• 2. [Esther 3:1; Proverbs 28:12; Proverbs 29:2]
• 3. Proverbs 19:10; [Proverbs 30:22]
• 4. [Esther 6:8]
• 5. See Psalms 7:15
• 6. Amos 5:19
• 7. [1 Chronicles 22:2]
• 8. [Deuteronomy 19:5]
• 9. [Jeremiah 8:17]
• 10. Proverbs 10:32; Proverbs 22:11; [Luke 4:22]
• 11. See Proverbs 18:7
• 12. See Proverbs 15:2
• 13. See Ecclesiastes 3:22
• 14. [Isaiah 35:8]
• 15. Isaiah 3:4, 12; [2 Chronicles 13:7]
• 16. [Proverbs 31:4; Isaiah 5:11]
• 17. See Psalms 104:15
• 18. [Ecclesiastes 7:12]
• 19. Exodus 22:28
• 20. See 2 Kings 6:12; Luke 12:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Or wisdom is an advantage for success
• [b]. Or are gracious