Ecclesiastes 10 · Verse 7

Ecclesiastes 10:7

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Ecclesiastes 10:7, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:7 in other translations

BSBI have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
WEBI have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
ASVI have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.
YLTI have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
DARBYI have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
BBEI have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
WebsterI have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. servants upon horses--the worthless exalted to dignity (Jr 17:25); and vice versa (2Sa 15:30).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · 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 10:7 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.

רָאִ֥יתִיra.'I.tiI have seenH7200
עֲבָדִ֖ים'a.va.DimslavesH5650
עַל\־'al-onH5921
סוּסִ֑יםsu.SimhorsesH5483
וְשָׂרִ֛יםve.sa.Rimand princesH8269
הֹלְכִ֥יםho.le.Khim[who] walkH1980
כַּעֲבָדִ֖יםka.'a.va.Dimlike slavesH5650
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הָאָֽרֶץ\׃ha.'A.retzthe groundH776

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:7

  • Proverbs 19:10

    Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

  • Esther 6:8

    Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

  • Proverbs 30:22

    For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pr 19:10; 30:22

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

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 10:6

    Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:7

    I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:8

    He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Vi siervos en caballos, y príncipes que andaban como siervos sobre la tierra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		J’ai vu des serviteurs sur des chevaux, et des princes marchant sur la terre comme des serviteurs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich habe Knechte auf Rossen gesehen, und Fürsten, die wie Knechte zu Fuß gingen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.