Ecclesiastes 10:17-20 in English

¹⁷ Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

²⁰ Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.

¹⁸ By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.

¹⁹ Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.

²⁰ Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

²⁰ Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

²⁰ Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹⁷ Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.

¹⁸ By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.

¹⁹ Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.

²⁰ Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.

¹⁷ Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life: and money answereth all things.

²⁰ Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹⁷ But a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a ◄noble/well-educated► family, and if its other leaders feast only at the proper times, and if they eat and drink only to be strong, not to become drunk.

¹⁸ Some men are very lazy and do not repair the rafters, with the result that the rafters sag and collapse; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house when it rains.

¹⁹ Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, but we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money to buy them.

²⁰ Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich people, even when you are alone in your bedroom, because it is possible that a little bird will hear what you are saying, and tell those people what you said about them.

¹⁷ Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.

¹⁸ By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.

¹⁹ Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.

²⁰ Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.

¹⁷ Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰ Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

¹⁷ Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰ Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

¹⁷ Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰ Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

¹⁷ Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.

¹⁸ When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.

¹⁹ A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.

²⁰ Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.

¹⁷ Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.

²⁰ Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.

¹⁷ Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.

¹⁸ By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.

¹⁹ For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.

²⁰ Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.

¹⁷ You're fortunate if your king comes from a noble family, and your leaders feast at the proper time to give themselves energy, and not to get drunk.

¹⁸ Lazy people let their roofs collapse; idle people don't repair their leaky houses.

¹⁹ A good meal brings pleasure; wine makes life pleasant; money provides for all needs.

²⁰ Don't talk badly about the king, not even in your thoughts. Don't talk badly about leaders, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird may hear what you say and fly away to tell them.

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the sonne of nobles, and thy princes eate in time, for strength and not for drunkennesse.

¹⁸ By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.

¹⁹ They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.

²⁰ Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.

¹⁷ Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

²⁰ Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness.

¹⁸ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

²⁰ Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹⁷ Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is noble-spirited, and thy princes eat in proper time, for strengthening, and not for gluttony!—

¹⁸ Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.

¹⁹ For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.

²⁰ Even in thy thought thou must not curse a king; and in thy bed-chambers do not curse the rich; for a bird of the air can carry the sound, and that which hath wings can tell the word.

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, And whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, And shall not be ashamed.

¹⁸ By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: And by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.

¹⁹ Men prepare bread for laughter, And wine and oil that the living should rejoice: But to money all things will humbly yield obedience.

²⁰ Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; And curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: For a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, And that which has wings shall report thy speech.

¹⁷ Happy thou, O land, when thy king is a noble, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and by the slackness of the hands the house leaketh.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money answereth all things.

²⁰ Curse not the king; no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber! for a bird of the air shall carry the voice; and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹⁷ But blessed are you, land, if your king is the son of nobles, and if your leaders eat at the right time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ Because of laziness the roof sinks in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ People prepare food for laughter, wine brings enjoyment to life, and money fills the need for everything.

²⁰ Do not curse the king, not even in your mind, and do not curse rich people in your bedroom. For a bird of the sky might carry your words; whatever has wings can spread the matter.

¹⁷ Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰ Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

¹⁷ Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰ Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things .

²⁰ Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.

¹⁷ Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰ Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

¹⁷ Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰ Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

¹⁷ Blessed is the land, whose king is noble; and whose princes eat in their time, to sustain their kind, and not to lechery.

¹⁸ The highness of houses shall be made low in sloths; and the house shall drop rain in the feebleness of hands.

¹⁹ In laughing, they dispose bread and wine, that they drinking eat largely; and all things obey to money.

²⁰ In thy thought backbite thou not the king, and in the private of thy bed, curse thou not a rich man; for the birds of heaven shall bear thy voice, and he that hath pens or wings, shall tell the sentence.

¹⁷ Blessed is the land, whose king is noble; and whose princes eat in their time, to (only) sustain the(ir) kind, and not to lechery. (Happy is the land, whose king is well born, or refined; and whose leaders eat at the proper time, only to sustain themselves, and not unto drunkenness.)

¹⁸ The highness of houses shall be made low in sloths; and the house shall drop (rain) in the feebleness of hands (or and a house shall leak due to feeble, or weak, hands).

¹⁹ In laughing, they dispose bread and wine, that they drinking eat largely; and all things obey to money. (With laughter, they array the table with bread and wine, so that they can enjoy all the abundance; for everything showeth obedience to money.)

²⁰ In thy thought backbite thou not the king, and in the private of thy bed, curse thou not a rich man; for the birds of heaven shall bear thy voice, and he that hath pens, shall tell the sentence. (In thy thoughts backbite thou not the king, and in the privacy of thy bed, curse thou not the rich; for the birds of the heavens, or of the air, shall carry thy voice, and he that hath wings, shall tell what thou hast said.)

¹⁷ Happy art thou, O land, When thy king is a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

¹⁸ By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.

¹⁹ For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

²⁰ Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.