Ecclesiastes 10:17
Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
A Conservative Version
In The King James Version
In Context
16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
18By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
Cross References
Deuteronomy 14:26And thou shall bestow the money for whatever thy soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever thy soul asks of thee. And thou shall eat there before LORD thy God, and thou shall rejoice, t
Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers [to say], Where is strong drink?
Isaiah 5:11Woe to those who rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, who tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them!
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 10:17-20
Mutual Duties of Princes and Subjects. 16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 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… Read the whole commentary →