Ecclesiastes 10 · Verse 18

Ecclesiastes 10:18

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
Ecclesiastes 10:18, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:18 in other translations

BSBThrough laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
WEBBy slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
ASVBy slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
YLTBy slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
DARBYBy much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
BBEWhen no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
WebsterBy much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. building--literally, "the joining of the rafters," namely, the kingdom (Ec 10:16; Is 3:6; Am 9:11). hands--(Ec 4:5; Pr 6:10). droppeth--By neglecting to repair the roof in time, the rain gets through.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 By much slothfulness - This is remarkably the case in some countries. Houses are not repaired till they almost fall about the ears of the inhabitants. We have an adage that applies to all such cases: "A stitch in time saves nine."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:16-20

The happiness of a land depends on the character of its rulers. The people cannot be happy when their princes are childish, and lovers of pleasure. Slothfulness is of ill consequence both to private and public affairs. Money, of itself, will neither feed nor clothe, though it answers the occasions of this present life, as what is to be had, may generally be had for money. But the soul, as it is not redeemed, so it…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 10:16-20 →

Ecclesiastes 10:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִםba.'a.tzal.Ta.yimin laziness<es>H6103
יִמַּ֣ךְyi.Makhit sinksH4355
הַמְּקָרֶ֑הha.me.ka.Rehthe rafter[s]H4746
וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּתu.ve.shif.Lutand in lowering ofH8220
יָדַ֖יִםya.Da.yimhandsH3027
יִדְלֹ֥ףyid.Lofit leaksH1811
הַבָּֽיִת\׃ha.Ba.yitthe houseH1004

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:18

  • Proverbs 14:1

    Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

  • Proverbs 24:30-34

    I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: …

  • Proverbs 20:4

    The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

  • Proverbs 21:25

    The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

  • Hebrews 6:11

    And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

  • Proverbs 23:21

    For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

  • 2 Peter 1:5-10

    And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. …

  • Proverbs 12:24

    The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pr 12:24; 14:1; 20:4; 21:25; 23:21; 24:30,31; Heb 6:11; 2Pe 1:5-10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 10:17

    Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

  • Ecclesiastes 10:18

    By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:19

    A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por la pereza se cae la techumbre, y por flojedad de manos se llueve la casa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		À cause de la paresse, la charpente s’affaisse; et à cause des mains lâches, la maison a des gouttières.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Durch Faulenzen senkt sich das Gebälk, und durch Lässigkeit der Hände tropft das Haus. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.