Ecclesiastes 12 · Verse 11

Ecclesiastes 12:11

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Ecclesiastes 12:11, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 12:11 in other translations

BSBThe words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
WEBThe words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
ASVThe words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
YLTWords of the wise are as goads, and as fences planted by the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.
DARBYThe words of the wise are as goads, and the collections of them as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.
BBEThe words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.
WebsterThe words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

What does Ecclesiastes 12:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 12:8-12

8-12. A summary of the first part. Vanity, &c.--Resumption of the sentiment with which the book began (Ec 1:2; 1Jo 2:17).

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 12:8-12 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 The words of the wise - Doctrines of faith, illustrated by suitable language, are as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, בעלי אספות baaley asuphoth, the masters of collections, those who had made the best collections of this kind, the matter of which was of the most excellent nature; every saying sinking as deeply into the mind, by the force of the truth contained in it, as a nail well pointed does into a board, when impelled by the hammer's force. These masters of collections have been supposed to be public persons appointed by the prince himself, the sole shepherd, to see that nothing was put into the people's hands but what would be profitable for them to read; and that, when any wise man gave public instructions, a good scribe sat by to take down the words; and then the master examined what he had written, to see that it was upright, and that the words were doctrines of truth. These were something like our licensers of the press; but the existence of such is little more than conjecture. After all, masters of assemblies may mean public teachers; that which was written, the oracles of God, out of which they instructed the people; the one Shepherd, God Almighty, from whom they received their authority and unction to preach the truth; and by the energy of whose Spirit the heavenly teaching was fastened in their hearts, as a well-driven nail in a sound piece of wood.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 12:8-14

Solomon repeats his text, VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. These are the words of one that could speak by dear-bought experience of the vanity of the world, which can do nothing to ease men of the burden of sin. As he considered the worth of souls, he gave good heed to what he spake and wrote; words of truth will always be acceptable words. The truths of God are as goads to such as are dull and draw back, and…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 →

Ecclesiastes 12:11 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.

דִּבְרֵ֤יdiv.Rei[the] words ofH1697
חֲכָמִים֙cha.kha.Mimwise [people]H2450
כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹתka.Da.re.vo.Not[are] like <the> goadsH1861
וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹתu.khe.mas.me.Rotand [are] like nailsH4930
נְטוּעִ֖יםne.tu.'Imfirmly fixedH5193
בַּעֲלֵ֣יba.'a.Leimasters ofH1167
אֲסֻפּ֑וֹת'a.su.PotcollectionsH627
נִתְּנ֖וּni.te.Nuthey are givenH5414
מֵרֹעֶ֥הme.ro.'Ehfrom a shepherdH7462
אֶחָֽד\׃'e.ChadoneH259

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 12:11

  • Jeremiah 23:29

    Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

  • Acts 2:37

    Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

  • Hebrews 4:12

    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

  • Ezekiel 34:23

    And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

  • John 3:10

    Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

  • Proverbs 22:17

    Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

  • 2 Corinthians 10:4

    (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

  • Proverbs 1:6

    To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

  • Isaiah 40:11

    He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

  • Isaiah 22:23

    And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.

  • John 10:14

    I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

  • Matthew 3:7

    But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as goads.
Jer 23:29; Mt 3:7; Ac 2:37; 2Co 10:4; Heb 4:12
masters.
Joh 3:10
given.
Ge 49:24; Ps 23:1; 80:1; Isa 40:11; Eze 34:23; Joh 10:14; Heb 13:20
1Pe 5:4

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

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 12:10

    The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:11

    The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:12

    And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes 12:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Las palabras de los sabios son como aguijones; y como clavos hincados, las de los maestros de las congregaciones, dadas por un Pastor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les paroles des sages sont comme des aiguillons, et les recueils, comme des clous enfoncés: ils sont donnés par un seul pasteur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Worte der Weisen sind wie Treibstacheln, und wie eingeschlagene Nägel die gesammelten Sprüche; sie sind gegeben von einem Hirten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.