Ecclesiastes 10:18
16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
- KJV
- By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
- WEB
- By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
- ASV
- By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
- DARBY
- By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
- BLB
- By laziness, the rafter is made to sink, and by idleness of hands, the house leaks.
- ÅB
- Når latheten råder, synker bjelkene sammen, og lar en hendene henge, så drypper det inn i huset.
- OTB
- På grunn av latskap siger takbjelkene; på grunn av late hender lekker huset.
- B1930
- Når latheten råder, synker bjelkene sammen, og lar en hendene henge, så drypper det inn i huset.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 14:1
Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Read in contextProverbs 24:30–34
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
Read in contextProverbs 20:4
The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
Read in contextProverbs 21:25
The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
Read in contextHebrews 6:11
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
Read in contextProverbs 23:21
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
Read in context2 Peter 1:5–10
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
Read in contextProverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
Read in context