English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 10:18
18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.
Ecclesiastes 10:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
- New International Version (NIV)Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.
Context of Ecclesiastes 10:18
16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! 17Happy 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 drunkenness! Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. 19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. 20Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 10Ecclesiastes 10:18 word by word
בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם יִדְלֹ֥ף הַבָּֽיִת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:18
- Proverbs 12:24The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
- Proverbs 14:1The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
- Proverbs 20:4The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
- Proverbs 21:25The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
- Proverbs 23:21for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.
- Proverbs 24:30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
- Hebrews 6:11And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,
- 2 Peter 1:5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18By much slothfulness - This is remarkably the case in some countries. Houses are not repaired till they almost fall about the ears of the inhabitants. We have an adage that applies to all such cases: "A stitch in time saves nine."Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king. Ecclesiastes 10:16 A child - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old. Eat in the morning - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11). Ecclesiastes…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 The happiness of a land depends on the character of its rulers. The people cannot be happy when their princes are childish, and lovers of pleasure. Slothfulness is of ill consequence both to private and public affairs. Money, of itself, will neither feed nor clothe, though it answers the occasions of this present life, as what is to be had, may generally be had for money. But the soul, as it is not redeemed, so it is not maintained with…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Delaying roof repairs causes rafters to sag and eventually ruins the home (see Proverbs 12:27; 20:4). Government corruption has a similar impact (Ecclesiastes 10:15–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. building--literally, "the joining of the rafters," namely, the kingdom (Ec 10:16; Is 3:6; Am 9:11). hands--(Ec 4:5; Pr 6:10). droppeth--By neglecting to repair the roof in time, the rain gets through.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:18
In the dictionaries
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
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