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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 10:5–12

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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8 selected · 2 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

33 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 5

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:13Rank 1 from verse 5
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    13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

  2. Ecclesiastes 6:1Rank 2 from verse 5
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    1THERE is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

  3. Ecclesiastes 3:16Rank 3 from verse 5
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    16¶ And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

  4. Ecclesiastes 4:1Rank 4 from verse 5
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    1SO I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

  5. Ecclesiastes 4:7Rank 5 from verse 5
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    7¶ Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

From verse 6

  1. Proverbs 28:12Rank 1 from verse 6
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    12When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

  2. Proverbs 29:2Rank 2 from verse 6
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    2When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

  3. Esther 3:1Rank 3 from verse 6
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    1AFTER these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

  4. Psalms 12:8Rank 4 from verse 6
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    8The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

  5. 1 Kings 12:13–14Rank 5 from verse 6
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    13And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;

    14And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

From verse 7

  1. Proverbs 19:10Rank 1 from verse 7
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    10Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

  2. Esther 6:8Rank 2 from verse 7
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    8Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

  3. Proverbs 30:22Rank 3 from verse 7
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    22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

From verse 8

  1. Proverbs 26:27Rank 1 from verse 8
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    27Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

  2. Psalms 7:15–16Rank 2 from verse 8
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    15He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.

    16His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

  3. Amos 5:19Rank 3 from verse 8
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    19As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

  4. Esther 7:10Rank 4 from verse 8
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    10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

  5. 2 Samuel 17:23Rank 5 from verse 8
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    23¶ And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

From verse 10

  1. James 1:5Rank 1 from verse 10
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    5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

  2. Colossians 4:5Rank 2 from verse 10
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    5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

  3. Ecclesiastes 10:15Rank 3 from verse 10
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    15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

  4. 1 Corinthians 14:20Rank 4 from verse 10
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    20Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

  5. Ephesians 5:15–17Rank 5 from verse 10
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    15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

    16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

    17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

From verse 11

  1. Jeremiah 8:17Rank 1 from verse 11
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    17For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.

  2. Psalms 58:4–5Rank 2 from verse 11
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    4Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

    5Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

  3. Psalms 52:2Rank 3 from verse 11
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    2Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully.

  4. Psalms 64:3Rank 4 from verse 11
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    3Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

  5. James 3:6Rank 5 from verse 11
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    6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

From verse 12

  1. Colossians 4:6Rank 1 from verse 12
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    6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

  2. Luke 4:22Rank 2 from verse 12
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    22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

  3. Proverbs 15:2Rank 3 from verse 12
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    2The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

  4. Proverbs 22:11Rank 4 from verse 12
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    11He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

  5. Ephesians 4:29Rank 5 from verse 12
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    29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:5

COMBINED MEANING

evil

↗

Sense 1: Moral wickedness, sin, wrong, or corruption. Sense 2: Harm, misery, calamity, adversity, or punishment.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sun

↗

The great light that rules the day and gives light and heat.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

error

↗

A mistake, fault, false belief, wrong course, or departure from truth, law, justice, or right.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

ruler

↗

Sense 1: One who governs or exercises authority. Sense 2: A straight measuring instrument.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:6

COMBINED MEANING

set

↗

1. To put or place a person or thing in a position, relation, or condition; when passive, to be so placed, fixed, or adorned. 2. To establish, fix, appoint, assign, prescribe, or determine. 3. To arrange, prepare, present, display, or put in order or array. 4. To direct, turn, or firmly apply the face, heart, eyes, mind, affection, or action toward something. 5. To start, advance, send out, proceed on a course or work, or make an attack, as in set forward, set forth, or set upon where those meanings apply. 6. To value or esteem; or, in set at nought or set light by, to despise. 7. Of the sun, to go down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

rich

↗

Possessing abundance, wealth, resources, value, fruitfulness, or fullness.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

low

↗

Sense 1: Not high; beneath in place, rank, amount, strength, or condition. Sense 2: Humble or brought down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

place

↗

Sense 1: A physical location or room. Sense 2: A position or office. Sense 3: An occasion, circumstance, or passage. Sense 4: To set, fix, locate, or establish.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:7

COMBINED MEANING

upon

↗

1. Marks the person, place, thing, or basis to which something is related: on or onto; above or over; toward or against as the target of action, speech, thought, attention, or force; resting on, assigned to, or affecting as a state, gift, burden, duty, guilt, or judgment; supported by or based on; or one placed, added, or repeated on or after another. 2. With a stated time or occasion, or a preceding event, at that time or point, or at or after that event: on, at, when, then, or following it.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

walking

↗

Sense 1: Moving on foot. Sense 2: Figuratively, conducting one's life or behaviour.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

earth

↗

Sense 1: The world in distinction from heaven. Sense 2: Dry land, ground, soil, or dust. Sense 3: A land, region, or its inhabitants.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:8

COMBINED MEANING

pit

↗

Sense 1: A hole, cavity, cistern, dungeon, trap, or place of confinement. Sense 2: The grave, deep ruin, or a place of judgment.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

shall

↗

An auxiliary verb expressing future action, intention, promise, command, requirement, or determination.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

fall

↗

Sense 1: To descend, drop, or lose an upright position. Sense 2: To be slain, defeated, overthrown, ruined, or brought down. Sense 3: To come upon or attack. Sense 4: To pass into a specified place, condition, power, or course, or to depart from a former standing. Sense 5: To happen, turn out, or be allotted. Sense 6: As a noun, descent, overthrow, ruin, or loss of standing.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hedge

↗

Sense 1: A fence, thicket, wall, or protective enclosure. Sense 2: Figuratively, a barrier or defense. As a verb, to enclose or obstruct.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

bite

↗

Sense 1: To seize, pierce, or wound with the teeth. Sense 2: Figuratively, to injure, vex, or consume another.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:9

COMBINED MEANING

shall

↗

An auxiliary verb expressing future action, intention, promise, command, requirement, or determination.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hurt

↗

Sense 1: Harm, injury, damage, or loss. Sense 2: To harm, damage, or injure.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

endangered

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of endanger, meaning to put in danger or expose to hazard.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:10

COMBINED MEANING

blunt

↗

Having a thick edge or point, as an instrument; dull; not sharp.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

whet

↗

1. To sharpen an edge by rubbing. 2. To make speech keen or cutting.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

put

↗

To place, set, lay, appoint, bring into a condition, or cause to be.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

strength

↗

Power, might, force, ability, firmness, courage, capacity, support, defence, resources, or that by which a person or thing is enabled to stand, act, endure, overcome, or accomplish a work.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

wisdom

↗

Knowledge, understanding, judgment, skill, or prudence.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

direct

↗

Sense 1: To guide, order, or point. Sense 2: Straight, right, or immediate. Sense 3: To instruct or teach.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Cawdrey 1604

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:11

COMBINED MEANING

bite

↗

Sense 1: To seize, pierce, or wound with the teeth. Sense 2: Figuratively, to injure, vex, or consume another.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

without

↗

Outside or on the exterior; beyond a boundary; lacking, absent, free from, not accompanied by, or apart from the person, thing, condition, means, or relation named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

enchantment

↗

Sense 1: A charm or practice of sorcery or divination. Sense 2: A means of charming or restraining a serpent.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

babbler

↗

1. One who talks idly or foolishly. 2. A contemptuous name applied by hearers to a speaker whose words they reject.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

better

↗

Sense 1: More excellent, more fitting, or to a greater degree. Sense 2: To improve or make better.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 10:12

COMBINED MEANING

words

↗

Spoken or written expressions, sayings, statements, messages, commands, promises, reports, or units of meaningful speech.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

wise

↗

Sense 1: Possessing or exercising understanding, knowledge, prudence, judgment, discernment, or skill; also a wise person. Sense 2: In phrases such as in no wise, way, manner, respect, or degree.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

mouth

↗

Sense 1: The bodily opening used for eating, breathing, and speaking. Sense 2: The opening or entrance of a thing. Sense 3: Speech, utterance, or the agency of speaking.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

gracious

↗

Showing favour, mercy, compassion, kindness, patience, or goodness; pleasant, acceptable, or benevolent in word or action.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

lips

↗

Sense 1: The physical borders of the mouth. Sense 2: By extension, speech or utterance.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fool

↗

Sense 1: A person lacking wisdom or moral understanding. Sense 2: As a verb, to act foolishly or deceive.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

swallow

↗

Sense 1: A small bird. Sense 2: To take into the mouth and pass inward, consume, engulf, devour, or overwhelm.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

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READ THE PASSAGE

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Suggested context · Ecclesiastes 10:5–15

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

10:5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

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10:6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

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10:7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

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10:8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

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10:9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

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10:10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

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10:11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

Selected passage

10:12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

Selected passage

10:13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

10:14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

10:15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

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