Ecclesiastes 10:16
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed 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!
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
- KJV
- Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
- WEB
- Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
- ASV
- Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
- DARBY
- Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
- BLB
- Woe to you, O land, that your king is a youth, and your princes feast in the morning!
- ÅB
- Ve deg, du land som har et barn til konge, og hvis fyrster holder måltid om morgenen!
- OTB
- Ve det landet hvis konge er en tjener, og hvis fyrster fester om morgenen.
- B1930
- Ve dig, du land som har et barn til konge, og hvis fyrster holder måltid om morgenen!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 3:12
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
Read in contextIsaiah 5:11–12
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
Read in contextIsaiah 3:4–5
And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
Read in contextProverbs 20:1–2
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Read in contextJeremiah 21:12
O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Read in context2 Chronicles 13:7
And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
Read in context2 Chronicles 36:5
Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
Read in contextIsaiah 28:7–8
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Read in context