Ecclesiastes 10:18
New International Version
Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.

New Living Translation
Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.

English Standard Version
Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.

Berean Standard Bible
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.

King James Bible
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

New King James Version
Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks.

New American Standard Bible
Through extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks.

NASB 1995
Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.

NASB 1977
Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.

Legacy Standard Bible
Through indolence the beams sag, and through slack hands the house leaks.

Amplified Bible
Through laziness the rafters [of state affairs] decay and the roof sags, and through idleness [the roof of] the house leaks.

Christian Standard Bible
Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks.

American Standard Version
By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
By slackness a roof will be lowered and by slackness of hands a house will drop

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

Contemporary English Version
Some people are too lazy to fix a leaky roof--then the house collapses.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.

English Revised Version
By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A roof sags because of laziness. A house leaks because of idle hands.

Good News Translation
When you are too lazy to repair your roof, it will leak, and the house will fall in.

International Standard Version
Through slothfulness the roof deteriorates, and a house leaks because of idleness.

JPS Tanakh 1917
By slothfulness the rafters sink in; And through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

Literal Standard Version
By slothfulness is the wall brought low, | And by idleness of the hands the house drops.

Majority Standard Bible
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.

New American Bible
Because of laziness, the rafters sag; when hands are slack, the house leaks.

NET Bible
Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.

New Revised Standard Version
Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.

New Heart English Bible
By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

Webster's Bible Translation
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

World English Bible
By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

Young's Literal Translation
By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wisdom and Folly
17Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness. 18Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks. 19A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.…

Cross References
Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.

Proverbs 24:30
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.


Treasury of Scripture

By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through.

Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Proverbs 14:1
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Proverbs 20:4
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Jump to Previous
Building Decayeth Drop Droppeth Falleth Framework Fulness Goes Hands House Idle Idleness Leaks Low Rafters Roof Sink Sinketh Sinks Slackness Sloth Slothfulness Wall Water Work
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Building Decayeth Drop Droppeth Falleth Framework Fulness Goes Hands House Idle Idleness Leaks Low Rafters Roof Sink Sinketh Sinks Slackness Sloth Slothfulness Wall Water Work
Ecclesiastes 10
1. observations of wisdom and folly
7. death in life
9. and the day of judgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on














(18) Droppeth--i.e., lets the rain drop through.

Verse 18. - By much slothfulness the building decayeth. The subject is still the state. Under the image of a house which falls into ruin for lack of needful repairs, is signified the decay that surely overtakes a kingdom whose rulers are given up to indolence and debauchery, and neglect to attend to the affairs which require prompt care (comp. Amos 9:11). Such were they whom Amos (Amos 6:6) denounced, "That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph." "Much slothfulness" is expressed in the original by a dual form, which gives an intensive signification. Ewald and Ginsburg take it as referring to the "two idle hands;" but the intensifications of the dual is not unprecedented (see Delitzsch, in loc.). The rest of this clause is more accurately rendered, the rafters sink, i.e. the timber framework, whether of roof or wall, gives way. This may possibly not be noticed at once, but it makes itself known unmistakably ere long. And through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through; rather, the house leaketh, the roof lets in the rain. Septuagint, Ἐν ἀρχία χειρῶν στάξει ἡ οἰκία, "Through laziness of hands the house will drip." The very imperfect construction of the fiat roofs of Eastern houses demanded continual attention. Such common and annoying occurrences as a leaky roof are mentioned in the Book of Proverbs (see 19:13; 27:15). Plautus, ' Mostell.,' 1:2.28 -

"Ventat imber, lavit parietes; perpluunt
Tigna; putrefacit aer operam fabri."

"The rain comes down, and washes all the walls,
The roof is leaky, and the weather rough
Loosens the architect's most skilful work."


Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Through laziness
בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם (ba·‘ă·ṣal·ta·yim)
Preposition-b | Noun - fd
Strong's 6103: Sluggishness

the roof
הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה (ham·mə·qā·reh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4746: Something meeting, a frame

caves in,
יִמַּ֣ךְ (yim·maḵ)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4355: To be low or humiliated

and in the hands
יָדַ֖יִם (yā·ḏa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 3027: A hand

of the idle,
וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת (ū·ḇə·šip̄·lūṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8220: Remissness

the house
הַבָּֽיִת׃ (hab·bā·yiṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

leaks.
יִדְלֹ֥ף (yiḏ·lōp̄)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1811: To drip, to weep


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 10:18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 10:17
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