Verse 10

If the iron is blunt, and he does not sharpen the edge, then he must put forth more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

Other Translations

• GT, oversatt fra Hebraisk

  Hvis jernet er sløvt og ikke skjerpes, krever det mer anstrengelse; men visdom gir bedre effektivitet i arbeidet.

• Moderne oversettelse av Bibelen fra 1611 KJV med hebraisk kontekst

  Hvis jernet er sløvt, og han ikke sliper eggen, må han bruke mer kraft; men visdom er nyttig for å veilede.

• Norsk King James

  Hvis jernet er sløvt og han ikke sliper det, må han bruke mer styrke; men visdom er nyttig for å veilede.

• Modernisert Norsk Bibel 1866

  Når jernet blir sløvt og han ikke skjerper eggen, må han bruke mye styrke, men visdom er nyttig for å gjøre en ting rett.

• Oversettelse av hebraiske Bibeltekster til moderne norsk bokmål

  Om jernet er stumt og han ikke skjerper det, må han legge mer kraft i; visdom gir suksess.

• Bibelen: En Moderne Oversettelse av King James Version 1611

  Hvis jernet er sløvt, og han ikke kvesser eggen, må han bruke mer kraft; men visdom er til nytte for å lede.

• o3-mini KJV Norsk

  Om jernet er sløvt og man ikke skjerper det, må man bruke mer kraft; men visdom er til stor nytte for å styre riktig.

• En Moderne Oversettelse av King James Version 1611 (mar 2025)

  Hvis jernet er sløvt, og han ikke kvesser eggen, må han bruke mer kraft; men visdom er til nytte for å lede.

• Lingvistisk bibeloversettelse fra grunntekst

  Hvis jernet blir sløvt og han ikke kvesser det, må han bruke mer kraft, men visdom er en fordel som gir suksess.

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  If the iron axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but wisdom brings success.

• biblecontext

  { "verseID": "Ecclesiastes.10.10", "source": "אִם־קֵהָ֣ה הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהוּא֙ לֹא־פָנִ֣ים קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְר֥וֹן הַכְשֵׁ֖ר חָכְמָֽה׃", "text": "If *qēhâ habbarzel* *wə-hûʾ* not *pānîm qilqal* *wa-ḥăyālîm yəgabbēr* *wə-yitrôn haksēr ḥokmâ*", "grammar": { "*qēhâ*": "qal perfect 3rd masculine singular - is blunt/dull", "*habbarzel*": "definite article + masculine singular noun - the iron", "*wə-hûʾ*": "conjunction + 3rd masculine singular pronoun - and he/it", "*lōʾ-pānîm*": "negative particle + masculine plural noun - not edges", "*qilqal*": "pilpel perfect 3rd masculine singular - has sharpened", "*wa-ḥăyālîm*": "conjunction + masculine plural noun - and strength/forces", "*yəgabbēr*": "piel imperfect 3rd masculine singular - he must exert", "*wə-yitrôn*": "conjunction + masculine singular construct - and advantage of", "*haksēr*": "verb infinitive construct with definite article - the succeeding/the being advantageous", "*ḥokmâ*": "feminine singular noun - wisdom" }, "variants": { "*qēhâ*": "is blunt/is dull/has lost edge", "*habbarzel*": "the iron/the iron tool", "*pānîm*": "faces/edges/surface", "*qilqal*": "has sharpened/has polished", "*ḥăyālîm*": "strength/forces/power", "*yəgabbēr*": "must exert/will strengthen/must increase", "*yitrôn*": "advantage/profit/excellence", "*haksēr*": "success/advantage/ability" } }

• GT, oversatt fra hebraisk Aug2024

  Om jernet er sløvt og en ikke sliper eggen, må en bruke mer kraft, men visdom gir fremgang.

• Original Norsk Bibel 1866

  Naar Jernet bliver sløvt, og han ikke skjærper Eggen, da maa han (siden) bruge megen Styrke (dertil), men Viisdom er nyttig til at gjøre (en Ting) ret.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to dirt.

• KJV 1769 norsk

  Hvis jernet er sløvt og man ikke skjerper eggen, må man bruke mer kraft; men visdom gir fordel i arbeidet.

• Norsk oversettelse av Webster

  Er øksen sløv, og man ikke kvesser eggen, må man bruke mer styrke; men dyktighet gir suksess.

• Norsk oversettelse av Youngs Literal Translation

  Hvis jernet er sløvt og ansiktet ikke skjerpes, må han bruke mer kraft, men visdom er til nytte for å gjøre riktig.

• Norsk oversettelse av ASV1901

  Hvis jernet er sløvt og ingen kvesser eggen, må man bruke mer kraft; men visdom er nyttig for å lede.

• Norsk oversettelse av BBE

  Hvis jernet ikke har noen egg, og han ikke skjerper det, må han bruke mer kraft; men visdom gjør ting lettere.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  When an yron is blont, and ye poynt not sharpened, it must be whett againe, and that with might: Euen so doth wi?dome folowe diligence.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  If the yron be blunt, & one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  When an iron is blunt and the poynt not sharpened, it must be whet agayne, and that with might: Euen so doth wisdome folowe diligence.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom [is] profitable to direct.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  If the axe is blunt, and one doesn't sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom `is' advantageous to make right.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.

• World English Bible (2000)

  If the axe is blunt, and one doesn't sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

Referenced Verses

• Exod 18:19-23 : 19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you. Be for the people a representative to God, that you may bring the causes to God. 20 And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. 21 Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place them over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves; so it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will go to their place in peace.
• Eccl 10:15 : 15 The labor of the foolish wearies every one of them, because he does not know how to go to the city.
• Eph 5:15-17 : 15 See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
• Jas 1:5 : 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
• Gen 41:33-39 : 33 Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35 Let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under Pharaoh's authority, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 This food shall be in reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine. 37 The proposal was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God? 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
• Col 4:5 : 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
• 1 Kgs 3:9 : 9 Therefore give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil: for who is able to judge this your great people?
• 2 Chr 23:4-9 : 4 This is what you shall do: A third part of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be gatekeepers of the doors; 5 And a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6 But let none come into the house of the LORD, except the priests, and those that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. 7 And the Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapon in his hand; and whoever else comes into the house, he shall be put to death: but be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out. 8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took each man his men that were to come in on the Sabbath, with those that were to go out on the Sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions. 9 Moreover Jehoiada the priest gave the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of God. 10 And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, around the king. 11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.
• Eccl 9:15-17 : 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no one remembered that same poor man. 16 Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless, the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. 17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that rules among fools.
• Acts 6:1-9 : 1 In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a complaint by the Greeks against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said, It is not right that we should leave the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. 5 This proposal pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. 6 They set them before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God spread, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group of the priests became obedient to the faith. 8 Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then certain members from the synagogue, called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, and Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia, disputed with Stephen.
• Acts 15:2-9 : 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 And being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles; and they brought great joy to all the brethren. 4 And when they came to Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and by the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5 But there arose certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as He did to us; 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. 12 Then all the multitude kept silent, and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring what miracles and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles by them. 13 And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 Simeon has declared how God at first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name. 15 And this agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; and I will build again its ruins, and I will set it up: 17 That the rest of mankind might seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does all these things. 18 Known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world. 19 Therefore, my judgment is that we should not trouble those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write to them to abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.
• Rom 16:19 : 19 For your obedience is known to all, and I am glad on your behalf. But I would have you wise in what is good, and innocent concerning evil.
• 1 Cor 14:20 : 20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be infants, but in understanding be mature.
• 1 Chr 12:32 : 32 Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
• Matt 10:16 : 16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: therefore, be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.