Ecclesiastes 10:16

Translations

Modern

Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.

Traditional

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Literal

Woe to you, O land, that your king is a youth, and your princes feast in the morning!

Latin

Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.

Original

Hebrew

English

Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.

Notes

Ecclesiastes 10:16–17

A servant does not have leadership skills.
feast at the proper time: Wise leaders relax only after completing their work, not in the morning before starting. Lazy leaders weaken a society or organization.

Ecclesiastes 10:15–20

The audience for this speech might have been a group of government workers. How should a leader govern when power and wealth lead to a lack of responsibility?

Theme notes and profiles

Enjoying God’s Gifts

Related verses

Isaiah 3:12
Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.
Isaiah 5:11–12
Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine.
Isaiah 3:4–5
“I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.”
Proverbs 20:1–2
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Jeremiah 21:12
O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.
2 Chronicles 13:7
Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
Hosea 7:5–7
The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.
2 Chronicles 36:9
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 36:5
Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
2 Chronicles 36:2
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.
Isaiah 28:7–8
These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.
2 Chronicles 36:11
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years.

Glossary

Book of Ecclesiastes

Topics

Gluttony of Princes, Ruinous to Their People Morning: The Jews: Eat but Little In Rulers: Character and Qualifications of Rulers: Wicked The Diet of the Jews was Taken in the Morning, Sparingly

Ecclesiastes 10:16

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