Ecclesiastes 10:5
New International Version
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:

New Living Translation
There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake

English Standard Version
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler:

Berean Standard Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun—an error that proceeds from the ruler:

King James Bible
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

New King James Version
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler:

New American Standard Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler:

NASB 1995
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler—

NASB 1977
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler—

Legacy Standard Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake which goes forth from the one in power—

Amplified Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceeds from the ruler—

Christian Standard Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler:

American Standard Version
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

Contemporary English Version
Rulers do some things that are terribly unfair:

English Revised Version
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
There is a tragedy that I've seen under the sun, an error often made by rulers.

Good News Translation
Here is an injustice I have seen in the world--an injustice caused by rulers.

International Standard Version
Here's another tragedy that I've observed on earth, a kind of error that comes from an overseer:

Majority Standard Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun?an error that proceeds from the ruler:

NET Bible
I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

New Heart English Bible
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.

Webster's Bible Translation
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

World English Bible
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, "" As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,

Young's Literal Translation
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,

Smith's Literal Translation
There is an evil I saw under the sun as an error going forth from before him having power:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:

Catholic Public Domain Version
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, proceeding from the presence of a prince, as if by mistake:

New American Bible
I have seen under the sun another evil, like a mistake that proceeds from a tyrant:

New Revised Standard Version
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as great an error as if it proceeded from the ruler:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceeds from before a ruler:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error that goes forth before a ruler
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, Like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wisdom and Folly
4If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest. 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler: 6Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.…

Cross References
Proverbs 19:10
Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

Proverbs 30:21-23
Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: / a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food, / an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.

Isaiah 3:4-5
“I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.” / The people will oppress one another, man against man, neighbor against neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable.

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

1 Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. / He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.

Psalm 75:6-7
For exaltation comes neither from east nor west, nor out of the desert, / but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.

Psalm 113:7-8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump / to seat them with nobles, with the princes of His people.

Daniel 4:17
This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’

Daniel 5:20-21
But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him. / He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.

Luke 1:52
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. / He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, / so that no one may boast in His presence.


Treasury of Scripture

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler:

an evil

Ecclesiastes 4:7
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 5:13
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

Ecclesiastes 6:1
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

as an

Ecclesiastes 3:16
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

Ecclesiastes 4:1
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

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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














There is an evil
The Hebrew word for "evil" here is "רָעָה" (ra'ah), which can denote something harmful, wicked, or morally wrong. In the context of Ecclesiastes, it often refers to the perplexing and unjust situations observed in life. The use of "evil" sets the tone for a moral and ethical evaluation, suggesting that what follows is not just unfortunate but fundamentally wrong in the eyes of God and man.

I have seen
The phrase "I have seen" indicates personal observation and experience. The author, traditionally understood to be Solomon, speaks from a position of wisdom and authority. This phrase underscores the authenticity and reliability of the insight being shared. It is not hearsay but a direct witness to the realities of life, emphasizing the credibility of the message.

under the sun
This phrase is a recurring motif in Ecclesiastes, representing the earthly, temporal realm as opposed to the eternal, divine perspective. "Under the sun" suggests a focus on human life and its limitations, often highlighting the futility and vanity of worldly pursuits. It serves as a reminder that the observations made are from a human perspective, limited by the constraints of time and mortality.

an error
The Hebrew word for "error" is "שְׁגָגָה" (shegagah), which implies a mistake or oversight, often with moral implications. This term suggests a deviation from what is right or expected, particularly in the context of leadership. It highlights the fallibility of human rulers and the potential for their decisions to lead to negative consequences.

that proceeds
The word "proceeds" indicates an action or outcome that originates from a specific source. In this context, it suggests that the error is not random but has a clear origin, pointing to the responsibility of the ruler. This emphasizes the influence and impact of leadership decisions on society.

from the ruler
The term "ruler" refers to someone in a position of authority and governance. In the ancient Near Eastern context, rulers were expected to embody wisdom and justice. The mention of a ruler making an error highlights the gravity of leadership and the far-reaching effects of their actions. It serves as a cautionary note about the importance of wise and righteous leadership, as the decisions of those in power can lead to widespread consequences.

(5) Error.--The word is the same as at Ecclesiastes 10:6.

Verse 5. - Koheleth gives his personal experience of apparent confusion in the ordering of state affairs. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun. Power gets into the hands of an unwise man, and then errors are committed and injustice reigns. As an error which proceedeth from the ruler. The כְּ here is cash veritatis, which denotes not comparison, but resemblance, the idealization of the individual, the harmony of the particular with the general idea. The evil which he noticed appeared to be (he does not affirm that it is) a mistake caused by the ruler; it so presented itself to his mind. The caution observed in the statement may be owing partly to the tacit feeling that such blots occasioned difficulties in the view taken of the moral government of the world. He does not intend to refer to God under the appellation "Ruler." The Septuagint renders, Ὡς ἀκούσιον ἐξῆλθεν, "As if it came involuntarily;" Vulgate, to much the same effect, Quasi per errorem egrediens. The idea here is either gnat the evil is one not produced by any intentional action of the ruler, but resulting from human imperfection, or that what appears to be a mistake is not so really. But these interpretations are unsuitable. Those who adhere to the Solomonic authorship of our book see here a prophetic intimation of the evil of Jeroboam's rule, which evil proceeded from the sins of Solomon himself and his son Rehoboam. (So Wordsworth, Motais, etc.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
There is
יֵ֣שׁ (yêš)
Adverb
Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is

an evil
רָעָ֔ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

I have seen
רָאִ֖יתִי (rā·’î·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

under
תַּ֣חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the sun—
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (haš·šā·meš)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 8121: The sun, the east, a ray, a notched battlement

an error
כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה (kiš·ḡā·ḡāh)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7684: A mistake, inadvertent transgression

that proceeds
שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א (še·yō·ṣā)
Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

from
מִלִּפְנֵ֥י (mil·lip̄·nê)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the ruler:
הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃ (haš·šal·lîṭ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7989: Having mastery, domineering


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 10:5 There is an evil which I have (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
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