Ecclesiastes 10:17
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!
JPS TaNaKH 1917
In The King James Version
In Context
16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
18By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
Cross References
Deuteronomy 14:26And thou shalt bestow the money for whatsoever thy soul desireth, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul asketh of thee; and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou and thy household.
Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: nor for princes to say: 'Where is strong drink?'
Isaiah 5:11Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that 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 →