Ecclesiastes 10:2-7

Wisdom Can Be Nullified By the Caprice of Rulers

10:2 A wise person’s good sense protects him, ¹ 

but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable. ² 

10:3 Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, ³ 

and shows ⁴  everyone what a fool he is. ⁵ 

10:4 If the anger ⁶  of the ruler flares up ⁷  against you, do not resign ⁸  from your position, ⁹ 

for a calm ¹⁰  response ¹¹  can undo ¹²  great offenses.

10:5 I have seen another ¹³  misfortune ¹⁴  on the earth: ¹⁵ 

It is an error a ruler makes. ¹⁶ 

10:6 Fools ¹⁷  are placed in many positions of authority, ¹⁸ 

while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.

10:7 I have seen slaves ¹⁹  on horseback

and princes walking on foot ²⁰  like slaves.

[10:2]  ¹ tn Heb “a wise man’s heart is at his right hand.” The phrase “right hand” is a Hebrew idiom for the place of protection (e.g., Pss 16:8; 110:5; 121:5). In ancient warfare, the shield of the warrior on one’s right-hand side protected one’s right hand. Qoheleth’s point is that wisdom provides protection (e.g., Eccl 7:12).

[10:2]  ² tn Heb “and the heart of a fool is at his left hand.” The fool lacks the protection of wisdom which is at the right-hand side of the wise man (see note on “right hand” in the previous line). The wise man’s heart (i.e., good sense) protects him, but the fool is always getting into trouble.

[10:3]  ³ tn Heb “he lacks his heart.”

[10:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “he tells everyone.”

[10:3]  ⁵ sn A fool’s lack of wisdom is obvious to everyone, even when he is engaged in the simple, ordinary actions of life.

[10:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “spirit.”

[10:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “rises up.”

[10:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “Do not leave.”

[10:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “your place.” The term מָקוֹם (maqom, “place”) denotes a position, post or office (1 Kgs 20:24; Eccl 8:3; 10:4; BDB 879 s.v. מָקוֹם 1.c).

[10:4]  ¹⁰ tn The noun II מַרְפֵּא (marpe’, “calmness”) is used in reference to keeping one’s composure with a peaceful heart (Prov 14:30) and responding to criticism with a gentle tongue (Prov 15:4); cf. HALOT 637 s.v. II מַרְפֵּא. It is used in reference to keeping one’s composure in an emotionally charged situation (BDB 951 s.v. מַרְפֵּא 2). The term “calmness” is used here as a metonymy of association, meaning “calm response.”

[10:4]  ¹¹ tn The term “response” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification (see preceding note on the word “calm”).

[10:4]  ¹² tn The verbal root נוח means “to leave behind; to leave untouched” (HALOT 680 s.v. I נוח 2) in general, and in this passage, “to undo” or “to allay” offenses (HALOT 680 s.v. I נוח 3; BDB 629 s.v. נוּחַ 5) or “to avoid” offenses (BDB 629 נוּחַ 5). The point is either that (1) a composed response can calm or appease the anger of the ruler, or (2) a calm heart will help one avoid great sins that would offend the king. The root נוח (“to rest”) is repeated, creating a wordplay: “Do not leave” (אַל־תַּנַּח, ’al-tannakh) and “to avoid; to allay” (יַנִּיחַ, yanniakh). Rather than resigning (i.e., leaving), composure can appease a king (i.e., cause the anger of the king to leave).

[10:5]  ¹³ tn The term “another” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to indicate that this is not the first “misfortune” described by the Teacher. See 5:13, 16; 6:1-2.

[10:5]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “an evil.”

[10:5]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[10:5]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “like an error that comes forth from the presence of a ruler.”

[10:6]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “folly.”

[10:6]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “high places.”

[10:7]  ¹⁹ tn Or “servants,” so KJV, ASV, NCV, NLT (also in the following line).

[10:7]  ²⁰ tn Heb “upon the earth.”