Ecclesiastes 10:6

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Folly placed in great dignity, - while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The fool is appointed to great heights,but the rich remain in lowly positions.

Hebrew Names Version
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

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

English Standard Version
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.

New American Standard Bible
foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places.

New Century Version
Fools are given important positions while gifted people are given lower ones;

Amplified Bible
folly is set in many exalted places and in great dignity while the rich sit in humble places.

World English Bible
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.

Legacy Standard Bible
folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.

Berean Standard Bible
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.

Contemporary English Version
They honor fools, but dishonor the rich;

Complete Jewish Bible
fools are promoted to high positions, while the rich occupy humble places.

Darby Translation
folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.

Easy-to-Read Version
Fools are given important positions, while the rich get jobs that are not important.

George Lamsa Translation
The fool is set in high and powerful places, and the rich shall sit in a low place.

Good News Translation
Stupid people are given positions of authority while the rich are ignored.

Lexham English Bible
The fool is set in many high places, but the rich sit in lowly places.

Literal Translation
folly is set in many high positions , and many rich men sit in low situations .

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
in yt a foole sytteth in greate dignite, & the rich are sett downe beneth:

American Standard Version
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

Bible in Basic English
The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.

King James Version (1611)
Folly is set in great dignitie; and the rich sit in lowe place.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
in that a foole sitteth in great dignitie, and the riche are set downe beneath.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.

English Revised Version
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and riche men sitte bynethe.

Update Bible Version
folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

Webster's Bible Translation
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

New English Translation
Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.

New King James Version
Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.

New Living Translation
when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.

New Life Bible
Fools are put in many places of honor, while rich men sit in places that are not important.

New Revised Standard
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.

Douay-Rheims Bible
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.

Revised Standard Version
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.

Young's Literal Translation
He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.

Contextual Overview

⁴ If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred. ⁵ Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, - a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power: ⁶ Folly placed in great dignity, - while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat: ⁷ I had seen, servants, upon horses, - and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground. ⁸ He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, - and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent. ⁹ He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, - and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby. ¹⁰ If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, - but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom. ¹¹ If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Folly: Judges 9:14-20, 1 Kings 12:13, 1 Kings 12:14, Esther 3:1, Psalms 12:8, Proverbs 28:12, Proverbs 28:28

dignity: Heb. heights

the rich: James 2:3-5

Reciprocal: Proverbs 14:29 - exalteth Ecclesiastes 10:17 - when 2 Peter 2:10 - to speak

Cross-References

Genesis 9:22
And Ham the father of Canaan saw his father's shame, - and told his two brethren outside.

Genesis 10:8
And, Cush begat Nimrod. - he, became a hero in the earth;

Genesis 10:16
and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite;

1 Chronicles 4:40
and they found pasture, fat and good, and, the land, was broad on both hands, and quiet, and secure, - for, of Ham, were the dwellers there aforetime.

Psalms 78:51
So he smote, Every first-born in Egypt, The beginning of their strength, in the tents of Ham;

Psalms 105:23
So Israel came into Egypt, And, Jacob, sojourned in the land of Ham;

Psalms 105:27
He set among them his threatening signs, And his wonders, in the land of Ham;

Psalms 106:22
Wonders in the land of Ham, Terrible things by the Red Sea.

Isaiah 11:11
And it shall come to pass in that day, That My Lord will again a second time set his hand, to possess himself of the remnant of his people, - who shall be left - from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Ethiopia and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Coastlands of the sea;

Jeremiah 46:9
Mount the horses, And drive the chariots madly on, So let the heroes, go forth, - Ethiopians and Libyans that grasp the buckler, And Lydians that grasp - that tread - the bow, But, that day, belongeth to My Lord Yahweh of hosts -

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Folly is set in great dignity,.... Or "in great heights" q; in high places of honour and truest; even foolish and wicked men; men of poor extraction, of low life, and of mean abilities and capacities; and, which is worse, men vile and vicious, as Doeg the Edomite, Haman the Amalekite, and others;

and the rich sit in low places; men not only of fortune and estates, and above doing mean and little actions, and so more fit for such high places; but men rich in wisdom and knowledge, of large capacities and of great endowments of mind, and so abundantly qualified for posts in the administration of government; and, above all, men rich in grace, fearing God, and hating coveteousness, as rulers ought to be, Exodus 18:21; and yet these sometimes are neglected, live in obscurity, who might otherwise be very useful in public life. The Targum interprets this and the following verse of the Israelites in exile and poverty among the Gentiles for their sins; so Jarchi.

q במרומים רבים εν υψεσι μεγαλοις, Sept. "in celsitudinibus amplis", Piscator, Amama, Gejerus; "in sublimitatibus amplis", Cocceius; "in altitudinibus magnis", Rambachius; "in great height", Broughton.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The “evil” of Ecclesiastes 10:5 is here specified as that caprice of a king by which an unworthy favorite of low origin is promoted to successive dignities, while a noble person is degraded or neglected.