Ecclesiastes 10 · Verse 19

Ecclesiastes 10:19

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Ecclesiastes 10:19, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:19 in other translations

BSBA feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
WEBA feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
ASVA feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
YLTFor mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
DARBYA feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.
BBEA feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
WebsterA feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. Referring to Ec 10:18. Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to "building"), the princes "make a feast for laughter (Ec 10:16), and wine maketh their life glad (Psa 104:15), and (but) money supplieth (answereth their wishes by supplying) all things," that is, they take bribes to support their extravagance; and hence arise the wrongs that are perpetrated (Ec 10:5, 6; 3:16; Is 1:23; 5:23). Maurer takes "all things" of the wrongs to which princes are instigated by "money"; for example, the heavy taxes, which were the occasion of Rehoboam losing ten tribes (1Ki 12:4, &c.).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 A feast is made for laughter - The object of it is to produce merriment, to banish care and concern of every kind. But who are they who make and frequent such places? Epicures and drunkards generally; such as those of whom Horace speaks: Nos numerus sumus, et fruges consumere nati. Epist. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 27. "Those whose names stand as indications of men, the useless many; and who appear to be born only to consume the produce of the soil." But money answereth all - This saying has prevailed everywhere. Scilicet uxorem cum dote, fidemque, et amicos, Et genus, et formam Regina Pecunia donat; Ac bene nummatum decorat Suadela, Venusque. Hor. Ep. lib. i., ep. 6, ver. 36. "For gold, the sovereign Queen of all below, Friends, honor, birth, and beauty, can bestow. The goddess of persuasion forms her train; And Venus decks the well-bemonied swain." Francis.

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 10:19 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.

לִשְׂחוֹק֙lis.chOkfor laughterH7814
עֹשִׂ֣ים'o.Sim[people are] makingH6213
לֶ֔חֶםLe.chemfoodH3899
וְיַ֖יִןve.Ya.yinand wineH3196
יְשַׂמַּ֣חye.sa.Machit makes gladH8055
חַיִּ֑יםchai.YimlifeH2416
וְהַכֶּ֖סֶףve.ha.Ke.sefand <the> moneyH3701
יַעֲנֶ֥הya.'a.Nehit answersH6030
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַכֹּֽל\׃ha.Kol<the> everythingH3605

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:19

  • Psalms 104:15

    And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

  • Philippians 4:15-19

    Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. …

  • Isaiah 24:11

    There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:1-2

    I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

  • Luke 12:19

    And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

  • Psalms 112:9

    He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

  • Isaiah 23:18

    And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

  • 1 Peter 4:3

    For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

  • Ecclesiastes 7:11-12

    Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

  • Acts 11:29

    Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea:

  • Daniel 5:1-12

    Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. …

  • Nehemiah 5:8

    And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
feast.
2:1,2; 7:2-6; Ge 43:34; Da 5:1-12; 1Pe 4:3
and wine.
9:7; Ps 104:15; Isa 24:11; 1Sa 25:36; 2Sa 13:28; Lu 12:19
Eph 5:18,19
maketh merry. Heb. maketh glad the life. but.Money which would have answered every good purpose, and served for every emergency, is too often spent in feastings and revellings.
7:11,12; 1Ch 21:24; 29:2-9; 2Ch 24:11-14; Ezr 1:6; 7:15-18; Ne 5:8
Ps 112:9; Isa 23:18; Mt 17:27; 19:21; Lu 8:3; 16:9; Ac 2:45; 11:29
Php 4:15-19; 1Ti 6:17-19

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:20

    Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Por el placer se hace el convite, y el vino alegra los vivos: y el dinero responde á todo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
On fait un repas pour s’égayer, et le vin rend la vie joyeuse; mais l’argent répond à tout.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Um sich zu belustigen, hält man Mahlzeiten, und Wein erheitert das Leben, und das Geld gewährt alles. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.