Ecclesiastes 10:17

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Happy 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!

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־חוֹרִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃

Transliteration

ʾašrêk ʾereṣ that malkēk ben-ḥôrîm wə-śārayik bāʿēt yōʾkēlû in gəbûrâ and not in šətî

Grammar Details

*ʾašrêk*: masculine plural construct with 2nd feminine singular suffix - blessed/happy are you
*ʾereṣ*: feminine singular noun - land
*še-malkēk*: relative particle + masculine singular noun with 2nd feminine singular suffix - whose king
*ben-ḥôrîm*: masculine singular construct + masculine plural noun - son of nobles
*wə-śārayik*: conjunction + masculine plural noun with 2nd feminine singular suffix - and your princes
*bā-ʿēt*: preposition + definite article + feminine singular noun - in the time
*yōʾkēlû*: qal imperfect 3rd masculine plural - they eat
*bi-gəbûrâ*: preposition + feminine singular noun - in strength
*wə-lōʾ*: conjunction + negative particle - and not
*ba-ššətî*: preposition + definite article + masculine singular noun - in drunkenness

Word Meanings

*ʾašrêk*: blessed are you/happy are you/fortunate are you
*ʾereṣ*: land/country/earth
*malkēk*: your king/your ruler
*ben-ḥôrîm*: son of nobles/nobleman/free-born
*śārayik*: your princes/your officials/your nobles
*bāʿēt*: in the proper time/at the right time
*yōʾkēlû*: they eat/they feast/they dine
*gəbûrâ*: strength/might/for strength
*šətî*: drinking/drunkenness

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 31:4-5 : 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes [to say], Where is strong drink? 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice [due] to any that is afflicted.
Eccl 10:6-7 : 6 folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.
Isa 5:11 : 11 Woe 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!
Jer 30:21 : 21 And their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is he that hath had boldness to approach unto me? saith Jehovah.
Deut 14:26 : 26 and 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 Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou and thy household.
Prov 28:2-3 : 2 For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof; But by men of understanding [and] knowledge the state [thereof] shall be prolonged. 3 A needy man that oppresseth the poor Is [like] a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Eccl 10:16
87%
16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Prov 31:4-6
3 verses
76%
4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes [to say], Where is strong drink?
5Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice [due] to any that is afflicted.
6Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul:
Prov 3:10
73%
10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
Eccl 10:18-19
2 verses
73%
18By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
Prov 30:22
73%
22For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;
Deut 8:10
73%
10And thou shalt eat and be full, and thou shalt bless Jehovah thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Prov 19:10
73%
10Delicate living is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
Prov 28:2
72%
2For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof; But by men of understanding [and] knowledge the state [thereof] shall be prolonged.
Jer 22:15
71%
15Shalt thou reign, because thou strivest to excel in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? then it was well with him.
Prov 23:20-21
2 verses
71%
20Be not among winebibbers, Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; And drowsiness will clothe [a man] with rags.
Prov 29:2
71%
2When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man beareth rule, the people sigh.
Ps 128:2
71%
2For thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands: Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
Prov 25:6-7
2 verses
71%
6Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men:
7For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom thine eyes have seen.
Prov 4:17
71%
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
Prov 17:7
70%
7Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.
1 Kgs 10:8
70%
8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, [and] that hear thy wisdom.
Jer 13:13
70%
13Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
Isa 32:1
70%
1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.
Prov 23:1
70%
1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider diligently him that is before thee;
Job 3:14-15
2 verses
70%
14With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up waste places for themselves;
15Or with princes that had gold, Who filled their houses with silver:
Hos 7:5
70%
5On the day of our king the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with scoffers.
Hab 2:15
70%
15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
Prov 16:13
70%
13Righteous lips are the delight of kings; And they love him that speaketh right.
Eccl 9:7
70%
7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
Eccl 10:7
70%
7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.
Eccl 4:13
69%
13Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
Deut 8:12
69%
12lest, when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
Zech 9:17
69%
17For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
Eccl 5:9
69%
9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.
Ps 104:15
69%
15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, [And] oil to make his face to shine, And bread that strengtheneth man's heart.
Deut 17:14
69%
14When thou art come unto the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me;
Prov 20:1
69%
1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.
Isa 5:22
69%
22Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;
Prov 14:28
69%
28In the multitude of people is the king's glory; But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
Isa 21:5
69%
5They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.
Amos 5:11
69%
11Forasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions from him of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink the wine thereof.
Prov 28:16
69%
16The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor; [But] he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
Prov 21:17
69%
17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Isa 5:11
69%
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!
Deut 6:11
69%
11and houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and cisterns hewn out, which thou hewedst not, vineyards and olive-trees, which thou plantedst not, and thou shalt eat and be full;
Ps 4:7
69%
7Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More than [they have] when their grain and their new wine are increased.
Jer 16:8
69%
8And thou shalt not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.
Isa 28:3
68%
3The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot:
Ps 2:10
68%
10Now therefore be wise, O ye kings: Be instructed, ye judges of the earth.