Ecclesiastes 10:2

Ecclesiastes 10:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
• New International Version (NIV)The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
• English Standard Version (ESV)A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left.

Context of Ecclesiastes 10:2

1A few dead flies in a bottle of perfume cause it to have a bad smell. In the same way, one foolish thing can destroy a lot of wisdom. If you are wise, you know the right way to go. But a fool is stupid and he goes the wrong way. 3Even when fools walk along the road, they show that they are stupid. Everyone can see that they are not wise. 4If your master becomes angry with you, do not leave your place. Be patient and answer him quietly. Then he will forgive your mistakes.

Ecclesiastes 10:2 word by word

לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינ֔וֹ וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A wise man’sחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• at his right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• but a fool’sכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• at his leftשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:2

• Ecclesiastes 9:10Use all your strength to do the work that you are doing. One day you will die and you will go into your grave. Then you will not have any work, or ideas, or knowledge or wisdom. So do your work well while you are alive.
• Proverbs 14:8A careful person understands what is right and he does it. But a foolish person's silly thoughts deceive him.
• Luke 14:28Here is an example. Perhaps one of you wants to build a tall building. Before you start to build, you will sit down. You will decide how much it will cost. Then you need to know if you have enough money to finish the work.
• Ecclesiastes 10:10If your axe is not sharp, you will need to be very strong to use it. If you are wise, you will make the axe's edge sharp again. That is how wisdom helps you to do things well.
• Proverbs 17:16Money does not help a foolish person, because he does not want to become wise.
• Luke 12:18But then he decided what to do. He thought, “I will pull down the building where I now store my food. Then I will build a bigger place to store it all, as well as everything else that is mine.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A wise man's heart is at his right hand - As the right hand is ordinarily the best exercised, strongest, and most ready, and the left the contrary, they show, The command which the wise man has over his own mind, feelings, passions, etc., and the prudence with which he acts. And, 2. The want of prudence and management in the fool, who has no restraint on his passions, and no rule or guard upon his tongue. The right hand and the left are used in Scripture…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The metaphor perhaps means “A wise man‘s sense is in its place, ready to help and protect him; but a fool‘s sense is missing when it is wanted, and so is useless.”Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3These two proverbs highlight the foolishness of unwise people. They make poor choices, and their actions reveal their lack of wisdom.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. (Ec 2:14). right--The right hand is more expert than the left. The godly wise is more on his guard than the foolish sinner, though at times he slip. Better a diamond with a flaw, than a pebble without one.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:2

• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Direct
• Idleness
• Prince
• Hand
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings