Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes · Chapter 10

Ecclesiastes 10:6

1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.2A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.3Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!17Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.20Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
it is putנִתַּ֣ןni-TANH5414H
to give: give

נָתַן (na.tan) : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted …

the follyהַסֶּ֔כֶלha-SE-khelH5529
folly

סֶ֫כֶל (se.khel) folly

in the high placesבַּמְּרוֹמִ֖יםba-me-ro-MIMH4791
height

מָרוֹם (ma.rom) 1) height 1a) height, elevation, elevated place 1a1) in a high place (adv) 1b) height 1c) proudly (adv) 1d) of nobles (fig.)

manyרַבִּ֑יםra-BIMH7227A
many

רַב (rav) adj 1) much, many, great 1a) much 1b) many 1c) abounding in 1d) more numerous than 1e) abundant, enough 1f) great 1g) strong 1h) greater than adv 1i) much, exceedingly

and rich [people]וַעֲשִׁירִ֖יםva-'a-shi-RIMH6223
rich

עָשִׁיר (a.shir) adj 1) rich, wealthy n 2) the rich, the wealthy, rich man

in the low placeבַּשֵּׁ֥פֶלba-SHE-felH8216
poverty

שֵׁ֫פֶל (she.phel) lowliness, low estate or condition

they sitיֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃ye-SHE-vuH3427
to dwell

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) 1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sit, sit down 1a2) to be set 1a3) to remain, stay 1a4) to dwell, have one's abode 1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited 1c) (Piel) to set, place 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to sit 1d2) to cause to abide, set 1d3) to cause to dwell 1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited 1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to) 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be inhabited 1e2) to make to dwell Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.