Ecclesiastes 10 · Verse 2

Ecclesiastes 10:2

A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
Ecclesiastes 10:2, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:2 in other translations

BSBA wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
WEBA wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
ASVA wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
YLTThe heart of the wise is at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
DARBYThe heart of a wise man is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
BBEThe heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
WebsterA wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart is at his left.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. (Ec 2:14). right--The right hand is more expert than the left. The godly wise is more on his guard than the foolish sinner, though at times he slip. Better a diamond with a flaw, than a pebble without one.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand - As the right hand is ordinarily the best exercised, strongest, and most ready, and the left the contrary, they show, 1. The command which the wise man has over his own mind, feelings, passions, etc., and the prudence with which he acts. And, 2. The want of prudence and management in the fool, who has no restraint on his passions, and no rule or guard upon his tongue. The right hand and the left are used in Scripture to express good and evil. The wise man is always employed in doing good; the fool, in nonsense or evil.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:1-3

To preserve a character for wisdom. (Eccl. 10:1-3) Respecting subjects and rulers. (Eccl. 10:4-10) Of foolish talk. (Eccl. 10:11-15) Duties of rulers and subjects. (Eccl. 10:16-20) Verses 1-3 Those especially who make a profession of religion, should keep from all appearances of evil. A wise man has great advantage over a fool, who is always at a loss when he has anything to do. Sin is the reproach of sinners…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 →

Ecclesiastes 10:2 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.

לֵ֤בlev[the] heart ofH3820
חָכָם֙cha.Khama wise [person]H2450
לִֽימִינ֔וֹli.mi.No[is] to right [hand] hisH3225
וְלֵ֥בve.Levand [the] heart ofH3820
כְּסִ֖ילke.Sila foolH3684
לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ\׃lis.mo.Lo[is] to left [hand] hisH8040

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:2

  • Luke 12:18-20

    And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 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. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

  • Ecclesiastes 10:14

    A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

  • Luke 14:28-32

    For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? …

  • Ecclesiastes 10:10

    If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

  • Proverbs 17:16

    Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

  • Proverbs 14:8

    The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:10

    Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
wise.
9:10; Pr 14:8; Lu 14:28-32
but.
10,14; Pr 17:16; Lu 12:18-20

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

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 10:1

    Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:2

    A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:3

    Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El corazón del sabio está á su mano derecha; mas el corazón del necio á su mano izquierda.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Le cœur du sage est à sa droite, et le cœur du sot, à sa gauche;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Des Weisen Herz ist nach seiner Rechten, und des Toren Herz nach seiner Linken gerichtet.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.