18 When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
The desire of the hater of work is death to him, for his hands will do no work.
For those who take delight in drink and feasting will come to be in need; and through love of sleep a man will be poorly clothed.
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense; And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down. Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it. A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep: So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
And it is our desire that you may all keep the same high purpose in certain hope to the end:
So, for this very cause, take every care; joining virtue to faith, and knowledge to virtue, And self-control to knowledge, and a quiet mind to self-control, and fear of God to a quiet mind, And love of the brothers to fear of God, and to love of the brothers, love itself. For if you have these things in good measure, they will make you fertile and full of fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the man who has not these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having no memory of how he was made clean from his old sins. For this reason, my brothers, take all the more care to make your selection and approval certain; for if you do these things you will never have a fall:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 10
This chapter seems to be like Solomon's proverbs, a collection of wise sayings and observations, rather than a part of his sermon; but the preacher studied to be sententious, and "set in order many proverbs,' to be brought in in his preaching. Yet the general scope of all the observations in this chapter is to recommend wisdom to us, and its precepts and rules, as of great use for the right ordering of our conversation and to caution us against folly.
Happy the nation when princes and people make conscience of their duty according to these rules.
Ecc 10:1-3
In these verses Solomon shows,
Ecc 10:4-11
The scope of these verses is to keep subjects loyal and dutiful to the government. In Solomon's reign the people were very rich, and lived in prosperity, which perhaps made them proud and petulant, and when the taxes were high, though they had enough to pay them with, it is probable that many conducted themselves insolently towards the government and threatened to rebel. To such Solomon here gives some necessary cautions.
Ecc 10:12-15
Solomon, having shown the benefit of wisdom, and of what great advantage it is to us in the management of our affairs, here shows the mischief of folly and how it exposes men, which perhaps comes in as a reflection upon those rulers who set folly in great dignity.
Ecc 10:16-20
Solomon here observes,