Ecclesiastes 10:18
16 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!
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
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 buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Read in contextProverbs 24:30–34
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Read in contextProverbs 20:4
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Read in contextProverbs 21:25
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
Read in contextHebrews 6:11
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Read in contextProverbs 23:21
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Read in context2 Peter 1:5–10
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
Read in contextProverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.
Read in context