Ecclesiastes 10:19

Ecclesiastes 10:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
• New International Version (NIV)A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.
• New Living Translation (NLT)A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness, and money gives everything!

Context of Ecclesiastes 10:19

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

Ecclesiastes 10:19 word by word

לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A feastלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• is madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• for laughterשְׂחֹקώechôq ώechôq · laughterH7814
• and wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• maketh merryחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• maketh merryשָׂמַחώâmach · to rejoiceH8055
• but moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• answerethעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself." But behold, this also was vanity.
• Ecclesiastes 7:2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.
• Genesis 43:34Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.
• Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
• 1 Peter 4:3For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
• Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
• Psalms 104:15and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.
• Isaiah 24:11There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished.
• 1 Samuel 25:36And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.
• 2 Samuel 13:28Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant."
• Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."'
• Ephesians 5:18And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
• Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun.
• 1 Chronicles 21:24But King David said to Ornan, "No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
• 1 Chronicles 29:2So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble.
• 2 Chronicles 24:11And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus they did day after day, and collected money in abundance.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19A feast is made for laughter - The object of it is to produce merriment, to banish care and concern of every kind. But who are they who make and frequent such places? Epicures and drunkards generally; such as those of whom Horace speaks: Nos numerus sumus, et fruges consumere nati. Epist. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 27. "Those whose names stand as indications of men, the useless many; and who appear to be born only to consume the produce of the soil." But money…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. 19money is the answer for everything: It helps you get what you want or need in this world (see Ecclesiastes 7:11–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Referring to Ec 10:18. Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to "building"), the princes "make a feast for laughter (Ec 10:16), and wine maketh their life glad (Psa 104:15), and (but) money supplieth (answereth their wishes by supplying) all things," that is, they take bribes to support their extravagance; and hence arise the wrongs that are perpetrated (Ec 10:5, 6; 3:16; Is 1:23; 5:23). Maurer takes "all things" of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Money
• Riches
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Direct
• Idleness
• Prince
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wine; Wine Press
• Banquets

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