Ecclesiastes 7:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

גַּם לְכָל־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּרוּ אַל־תִּתֵּן לִבֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תִשְׁמַע אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ מְקַלְלֶךָ

Transliteration

Also to-all-the-dəḇārîm that yəḏabbērû ʾal-tittēn libbeḵā that not-ṯišmaʿ ʾeṯ-ʿaḇdəḵā məqalleḵā

Grammar Details

*dəḇārîm*: noun, masculine plural with definite article - the words
*yəḏabbērû*: Piel imperfect 3rd masculine plural - they speak
*ʾal*: negative particle - do not
*tittēn*: Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - give
*libbeḵā*: noun, masculine singular with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your heart
*ṯišmaʿ*: Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you hear
*ʿaḇdəḵā*: noun, masculine singular with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your servant
*məqalleḵā*: Piel participle masculine singular with 2nd masculine singular suffix - cursing you

Word Meanings

*dəḇārîm* that *yəḏabbērû*: words that are spoken/things that are said
*tittēn* *libbeḵā*: set your heart/pay attention/take to heart
*ṯišmaʿ*: hear/listen to/learn of
*ʿaḇdəḵā* *məqalleḵā*: your servant cursing you/your slave speaking ill of you

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

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 30:10 : 10 Slander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
Isa 29:21 : 21 that make a man an offender in [his] cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.
1 Cor 13:5-7 : 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
2 Sam 16:10 : 10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Jehovah hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
2 Sam 19:19 : 19 And he said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

Eccl 7:22
82%
22for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Prov 30:10
79%
10Slander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
Prov 29:19-21
3 verses
74%
19A servant will not be corrected by words; For though he understand, he will not give heed.
20Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
21He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child Shall have him become a son at the last.
Eccl 5:6-7
2 verses
73%
6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.
Eccl 10:20
72%
20Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Prov 23:9
72%
9Speak not in the hearing of a fool; For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Eccl 5:1-2
2 verses
72%
1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.
2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Exod 22:28
72%
28Thou shalt not revile God, nor curse a ruler of thy people.
Prov 29:11-12
2 verses
72%
11A fool uttereth all his anger; But a wise man keepeth it back and stilleth it.
12If a ruler hearkeneth to falsehood, All his servants are wicked.
Prov 30:6
72%
6Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Prov 24:18-19
2 verses
72%
18Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.
19Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
Prov 10:19
72%
19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.
Prov 27:2
71%
2Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips.
Eccl 7:16-17
2 verses
71%
16Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself {H3148} overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Eccl 7:20
71%
20Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Eccl 8:2
71%
2I [counsel thee], Keep the king's command, and that in regard of the oath of God.
Job 36:18
71%
18For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
Prov 17:4
71%
4An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; [And] a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
Deut 28:15
71%
15But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.
Job 36:21
70%
21Take heed, regard not iniquity: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Prov 29:24
70%
24Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul; He heareth the adjuration and uttereth nothing.
Exod 23:13
70%
13And in all things that I have said unto you take ye heed: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
Prov 21:23
70%
23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles.
Prov 19:10
70%
10Delicate living is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
Job 15:13
70%
13That against God thou turnest thy spirit, And lettest words go out of thy mouth?
Prov 7:24
70%
24Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And attend to the words of my mouth.
Prov 22:25
70%
25Lest thou learn this ways, And get a snare to thy soul.
Ps 37:8
70%
8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: Fret not thyself, [it tendeth] only to evil-doing.
Prov 5:7
70%
7Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth.
Prov 17:7
70%
7Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.
Job 31:30
70%
30(Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);
Prov 28:21
70%
21To have respect of persons is not good; Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.
Prov 5:9
70%
9Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel;
Job 5:21
70%
21Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
Prov 25:6
70%
6Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men:
Prov 4:20
69%
20My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Eccl 7:9
69%
9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Isa 29:21
69%
21that make a man an offender in [his] cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.
Prov 19:27
69%
27Cease, my son, to hear instruction [Only] to err from the words of knowledge.
Prov 22:17
69%
17Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
Ps 37:1
69%
1[ A Psalm of David.] Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, Neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
Matt 12:36
69%
36And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Eccl 7:5
69%
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.