Ecclesiastes 10:16

Translations

King James Version (KJV)

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

American King James Version (AKJV)

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

American Standard Version (ASV)

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Basic English Translation (BBE)

Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.

Webster's Revision

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

World English Bible

Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

English Revised Version (ERV)

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Definitions for Ecclesiastes 10:16

Woe - An expression of grief or indignation.

Clarke's Ecclesiastes 10:16 Bible Commentary

Wo to thee, O land, when thy king is a child - Minorities are, in general, very prejudicial to a state. Regents either disagree, and foment civil wars; or oppress the people. Various discordant interests are raised up in a state during a minority; and the young king, having been under the tutelage of interested men, acts partially and injuriously to the interests of the people when he comes to the throne; and this produces popular discontent, and a troubled reign.

Thy princes eat in the morning! - They do nothing in order; turn night into day, and day into night; sleep when they should wake, and wake when they should sleep; attending more to chamberings and banquetings, than to the concerns of the state.

Barnes's Ecclesiastes 10:16 Bible Commentary

Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king.

Ecclesiastes 10:16

A child - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old.

Eat in the morning - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11).

Wesley's Ecclesiastes 10:16 Bible Commentary

10:16 A child - Either in age, or childish qualities. Eat - Give up themselves to eating and drinking. Morning - The fittest time for God's service, for the dispatch of weighty affairs, and for sitting in judgment.