Ecclesiastes 10:5

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

Ecclesiastes 10:5, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:5 in other translations

BSB	There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
WEB	There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
ASV	There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
YLT	There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
DARBY	There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error that proceedeth from the ruler:
BBE	There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
Webster	There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

What does Ecclesiastes 10:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

5. as--rather, "by reason of an error" [Maurer and Holden].

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 5 An error which proceedeth from the ruler - What this error in the ruler is, the two following verses point out: it is simpiy this - an injudicious distribution of offices, and raising people to places of trust and confidence, who are destitute of merit, are neither of name nor family to excite public confidence, and are without property; so that they have no stake in the country, and their only solicitude must naturally be to enrich themselves, and provide for their poor relatives. This is frequent in the governments of the world; and favouritism has often brought prosperous nations to the brink of ruin. Folly was set in dignity; the man of property, sense, and name, in a low place. Servants - menial men, rode upon horses - carried every thing with a high and proud hand; and princes, - the nobles of the people, were obliged to walk by their sides, and often from the state of things to become in effect their servants. This was often the case in this country, during the reign of Thomas a Becket, and Cardinal Woolsey. These insolent men lorded it over the whole nation; and the people and their gentry were raised or depressed according as their pride and caprice willed. And, through this kind of errors, not only a few sovereigns have had most uncomfortable and troublesome reigns, but some have even lost their lives.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:4-10

Solomon appears to caution men not to seek redress in a hasty manner, nor to yield to pride and revenge. Do not, in a passion, quit thy post of duty; wait awhile, and thou wilt find that yielding pacifies great offences. Men are not preferred according to their merit. And those are often most forward to offer help, who are least aware of the difficulties, or the consequences. The same remark is applied to the…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 10:4-10 →

Ecclesiastes 10:5 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.

יֵ֣שׁyeshthereH3426

רָעָ֔הra.'Ah[is] an evilH7451

רָאִ֖יתִיra.'I.ti[which] I have seenH7200

תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunderH8478

הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshthe sunH8121

כִּשְׁגָגָ֕הkish.ga.Gahlike an inadvertenceH7684

שֶׁיֹּצָ֖אshei.yo.Tza'that [is] going forthH3318

מִלִּפְנֵ֥יmi.lif.Neifrom to beforeH6440

הַשַּׁלִּֽיט\׃ha.sha.Litthe rulerH7989

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:5

Ecclesiastes 5:13
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
Ecclesiastes 6:1
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
Ecclesiastes 9:3
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Ecclesiastes 4:7
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 3:16
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
Ecclesiastes 4:1
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

an evil.
4:7; 5:13; 6:1; 9:3
as an.
3:16; 4:1
from. Heb. from before.

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

Context

Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
Ecclesiastes 10:5
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
Ecclesiastes 10:6
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:5 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Hay un mal que debajo del sol he visto, á manera de error emanado del príncipe:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Il est un mal que j’ai vu sous le soleil, comme une erreur provenant du gouverneur:
German Elberfelder 1871	Es gibt ein Übel, das ich unter der Sonne gesehen habe, gleich einem Irrtum, welcher von dem Machthaber ausgeht:
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis: