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Complete Jewish Bible

Ecclesiastes 10:9

He who quarries stones may get hurt by them, he who chops wood puts himself in danger.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Log;   Poetry;   Quarry;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ecclesiastes;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cleave;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cemetery;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for August 18;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them;the one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
Hebrew Names Version
Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered thereby.
King James Version
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
English Standard Version
He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
New American Standard Bible
One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
New Century Version
anyone who moves boulders might be hurt by them; and anyone who cuts logs might be harmed by them.
Amplified Bible
He who quarries stones may be hurt with them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
World English Bible
Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered thereby.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
Legacy Standard Bible
He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
Berean Standard Bible
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
Contemporary English Version
You could even get hurt by chiseling a stone or chopping a log.
Darby Translation
Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Easy-to-Read Version
If you are moving large stones, you might be hurt by them. If you cut down a tree, you are in danger of it falling on you.
George Lamsa Translation
He who removes landmarks shall suffer pain by them; and he who cuts trees shall be wounded by them.
Good News Translation
If you work in a stone quarry, you get hurt by stones. If you split wood, you get hurt doing it.
Lexham English Bible
Whoever quarries stones will be wounded by them. Whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
Literal Translation
Whoever pulls out stones may be hurt with them; he who splits trees may be endangered by them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who so remoueth stones, shall haue trauayle withall: and he that heweth wod, shalbe hurt therwith.
American Standard Version
Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Bible in Basic English
He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
King James Version (1611)
Who so remoueth stones, shall be hurt therewith: and hee that cleaueth wood, shalbe endangered thereby.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Who so remoueth stones, shall haue trauayle withall: and he that heweth wood, shalbe hurt therwith.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
English Revised Version
Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that berith ouer stoonys, schal be turmentid in tho; and he that kittith trees, schal be woundid of tho.
Update Bible Version
Whoever cuts out stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that splits wood is endangered thereby.
Webster's Bible Translation
Whoever removeth stones shall be hurt by them; [and] he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered by it.
New English Translation
One who quarries stones may be injured by them; one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
New King James Version
He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.
New Living Translation
When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you. When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax.
New Life Bible
He who cuts stones may be hurt by them. And he who cuts trees may be in danger by them.
New Revised Standard
Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them; and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, - and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
Revised Standard Version
He who quarries stones is hurt by them; and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
Young's Literal Translation
Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
THE MESSAGE
Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous. Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.

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

Reciprocal: Psalms 7:15 - and is

Cross-References

Genesis 6:4
The N'filim were on the earth in those days, and also afterwards, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; these were the ancient heroes, men of renown.
Genesis 6:11
The earth was corrupt before God, the earth was filled with violence.
Genesis 13:13
Now the men of S'dom were evil, committing great sins against Adonai .
Genesis 25:27
The boys grew; and ‘Esav became a skillful hunter, an outdoorsman; while Ya‘akov was a quiet man who stayed in the tents.
Genesis 27:30
But as soon as Yitz'chak had finished giving his blessing to Ya‘akov, when Ya‘akov had barely left his father's presence, ‘Esav his brother came in from his hunting.
2 Chronicles 28:22
During his time of distress this same King Achaz added to his treachery against Adonai
Psalms 52:7
This is why God will strike you down, seize you, pluck you from your tent and uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
Jeremiah 16:16
"‘Look,' says Adonai , ‘I will send for many fishermen, and they will fish for them. Afterwards, I will send for many hunters; and they will hunt them from every mountain and hill and out of caves in the rocks.
Ezekiel 13:18
tell them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe?
Micah 7:2
The godly have been destroyed from the land, there is no one upright among humankind. They all lie in wait for blood, each hunts his brother with a net.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith,.... That carries them from the quarry, where they are dug; or takes them from a heap, where they lie; or that attempts to pull them out of a building, where they are put; or removes them from places, where they are set as boundaries and landmarks; all which is troublesome, and by which men get hurt; the stones fall upon them, or are too heavy for them, or they do what they should not do, and so bring themselves into trouble; as do all such persons who are for removing the boundaries of commonwealths and communities, and for changing laws, and altering constitutions;

[and] he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby; of cutting himself: so he that soweth discord among brethren, that makes divisions in families, neighbourhoods, kingdoms, and churches; see Proverbs 6:16

Romans 16:18. Jarchi renders it, "shall be warmed" or "heated", according to the sense of the word, as he thinks, in 1 Kings 1:2; though he understands it of being profited by studying in the law and the commandments; of which he interprets the clause; and Ben Melech observes, that the word so signifies in the Arabic language; and Mr. Broughton renders it, "shall be heated thereby". The Targum paraphrases it,

"shall be burnt with fire, by the hand of the Angel of the Lord:''

or, however, he may be overheated and do himself hurt, as men, that kindle the flame of contention and strife, often do.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The figures seem to be taken from the work of building up and pulling down houses. In their general application, they recommend the man who would act wisely to be cautious when taking any step in life which involves risk.

Ecclesiastes 10:8

Breaketh an hedge - Rather: “breaks through a wall.”

Serpent - The habit of snakes is to nestle in a chink of a wall, or among stones (compare Amos 5:19).

Ecclesiastes 10:9

Be endangered - Rather: “cut himself.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 10:9. Whoso removeth stones — This verse teaches care and caution. Whoever pulls down an old building is likely to be hurt by the stones; and in cleaving wood many accidents occur for want of sufficient caution.


 
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