Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible
Complete Jewish Bible
Ecclesiastes 10:6
fools are promoted to high positions, while the rich occupy humble places.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalDevotionals:
- EveryParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
The fool is appointed to great heights,but the rich remain in lowly positions.
The fool is appointed to great heights,but the rich remain in lowly positions.
Hebrew Names Version
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
King James Version
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
English Standard Version
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
New American Standard Bible
foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places.
foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places.
New Century Version
Fools are given important positions while gifted people are given lower ones;
Fools are given important positions while gifted people are given lower ones;
Amplified Bible
folly is set in many exalted places and in great dignity while the rich sit in humble places.
folly is set in many exalted places and in great dignity while the rich sit in humble places.
World English Bible
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
Legacy Standard Bible
folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
Berean Standard Bible
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
Contemporary English Version
They honor fools, but dishonor the rich;
They honor fools, but dishonor the rich;
Darby Translation
folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
Easy-to-Read Version
Fools are given important positions, while the rich get jobs that are not important.
Fools are given important positions, while the rich get jobs that are not important.
George Lamsa Translation
The fool is set in high and powerful places, and the rich shall sit in a low place.
The fool is set in high and powerful places, and the rich shall sit in a low place.
Good News Translation
Stupid people are given positions of authority while the rich are ignored.
Stupid people are given positions of authority while the rich are ignored.
Lexham English Bible
The fool is set in many high places, but the rich sit in lowly places.
The fool is set in many high places, but the rich sit in lowly places.
Literal Translation
folly is set in many high positions , and many rich men sit in low situations .
folly is set in many high positions , and many rich men sit in low situations .
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
in yt a foole sytteth in greate dignite, & the rich are sett downe beneth:
in yt a foole sytteth in greate dignite, & the rich are sett downe beneth:
American Standard Version
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Bible in Basic English
The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
King James Version (1611)
Folly is set in great dignitie; and the rich sit in lowe place.
Folly is set in great dignitie; and the rich sit in lowe place.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
in that a foole sitteth in great dignitie, and the riche are set downe beneath.
in that a foole sitteth in great dignitie, and the riche are set downe beneath.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
English Revised Version
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and riche men sitte bynethe.
and riche men sitte bynethe.
Update Bible Version
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Webster's Bible Translation
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
New English Translation
Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.
Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.
New King James Version
Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.
Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.
New Living Translation
when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.
when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.
New Life Bible
Fools are put in many places of honor, while rich men sit in places that are not important.
Fools are put in many places of honor, while rich men sit in places that are not important.
New Revised Standard
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Folly placed in great dignity, - while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
Folly placed in great dignity, - while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
Douay-Rheims Bible
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
Revised Standard Version
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
Young's Literal Translation
He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
Contextual Overview
4 If a ruler gets angry at you, stay at your post, because calmness soothes great offenses. 5 Another evil I have seen under the sun, the kind of mistake rulers make, is that 6 fools are promoted to high positions, while the rich occupy humble places. 7 I have seen servants riding horses, while princes walk on foot like slaves. 8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; he who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 9 He who quarries stones may get hurt by them, he who chops wood puts himself in danger. 10 If the [hatchet's] iron [blade] is blunt, and [its user] doesn't sharpen it, he will have to exert more effort; but the expert has the advantage of his skill. 11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, the snake-charmer has no advantage.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Folly: Judges 9:14-20, 1 Kings 12:13, 1 Kings 12:14, Esther 3:1, Psalms 12:8, Proverbs 28:12, Proverbs 28:28
dignity: Heb. heights
the rich: James 2:3-5
Reciprocal: Proverbs 14:29 - exalteth Ecclesiastes 10:17 - when 2 Peter 2:10 - to speak
Cross-References
Genesis 9:22
Ham, the father of Kena‘an, saw his father shamefully exposed, went out and told his two brothers.
Ham, the father of Kena‘an, saw his father shamefully exposed, went out and told his two brothers.
Genesis 10:8
Kush fathered Nimrod, who was the first powerful ruler on earth.
Kush fathered Nimrod, who was the first powerful ruler on earth.
Genesis 10:16
the Y'vusi, the Emori, the Girgashi,
the Y'vusi, the Emori, the Girgashi,
1 Chronicles 4:40
They found rich, good pastures; and the land was spacious, quiet and peaceful. Those who had lived there previously belonged to Ham.
They found rich, good pastures; and the land was spacious, quiet and peaceful. Those who had lived there previously belonged to Ham.
Psalms 78:51
striking all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
striking all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
Psalms 105:23
Then Isra'el too came into Egypt, Ya‘akov lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
Then Isra'el too came into Egypt, Ya‘akov lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
Psalms 105:27
They worked his signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham.
They worked his signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham.
Psalms 106:22
wonders in the land of Ham, fearsome deeds by the Sea of Suf.
wonders in the land of Ham, fearsome deeds by the Sea of Suf.
Isaiah 11:11
On that day Adonai will raise his hand again, a second time, to reclaim the remnant of his people who remain from Ashur, Egypt, Patros, Ethiopia, ‘Eilam, Shin‘ar, Hamat and the islands in the sea.
On that day Adonai will raise his hand again, a second time, to reclaim the remnant of his people who remain from Ashur, Egypt, Patros, Ethiopia, ‘Eilam, Shin‘ar, Hamat and the islands in the sea.
Jeremiah 46:9
Charge, horses! Full speed ahead, chariots! Let the warriors attack! — Kush and Put, bearing their shields, and the Ludim, strung bows in hand.
Charge, horses! Full speed ahead, chariots! Let the warriors attack! — Kush and Put, bearing their shields, and the Ludim, strung bows in hand.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Folly is set in great dignity,.... Or "in great heights" q; in high places of honour and truest; even foolish and wicked men; men of poor extraction, of low life, and of mean abilities and capacities; and, which is worse, men vile and vicious, as Doeg the Edomite, Haman the Amalekite, and others;
and the rich sit in low places; men not only of fortune and estates, and above doing mean and little actions, and so more fit for such high places; but men rich in wisdom and knowledge, of large capacities and of great endowments of mind, and so abundantly qualified for posts in the administration of government; and, above all, men rich in grace, fearing God, and hating coveteousness, as rulers ought to be, Exodus 18:21; and yet these sometimes are neglected, live in obscurity, who might otherwise be very useful in public life. The Targum interprets this and the following verse of the Israelites in exile and poverty among the Gentiles for their sins; so Jarchi.
q במרומים רבים εν υψεσι μεγαλοις, Sept. "in celsitudinibus amplis", Piscator, Amama, Gejerus; "in sublimitatibus amplis", Cocceius; "in altitudinibus magnis", Rambachius; "in great height", Broughton.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The “evil” of Ecclesiastes 10:5 is here specified as that caprice of a king by which an unworthy favorite of low origin is promoted to successive dignities, while a noble person is degraded or neglected.
