Bible Commentary

Ecclesiastes 10:2

Ecclesiastes 10:2

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. There is here no reference to the classical use of right and left, as ominous of success and disaster, which is never found in the Old Testament.

The right hand is the place of honor, the left of inferiority, as a matter of fact, not of superstition and luck. The symbolism is intimated in Christ's account of the judgment (, etc.).

But in the present passage we should best paraphrase—The wise man's heart, his understanding and sentiments, lead him to what is right and proper and straightforward; the fool's heart leads him astray, in the wrong direction.

The former is active and skilful, the latter is slow and awkward. One, we may say, has no left hand, the other has no right. To be at the right hand is to be ready to help and guard. "The Lord is at thy right band," to protect thee, says the psalmist ().

The wise man's mind shows him how to escape dangers and direct his course safely; the fool's mind helps him not to any good purpose, causes him to err and miss his best object.

The Daily Devotional

One devotional. Every morning.

The full reading, the passage behind it, and where to go deeper — in your inbox before the day starts. No ads, ever.

We'll send one email to confirm it's really you. Unsubscribe in one tap, any time.

Continue tomorrow

Turn Bible study into a daily habit

Read today's devotional, save your progress, and receive a gentle daily reminder.

Recommended reading

More for Ecclesiastes 10:2

Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.

Other commentaries

Ecclesiastes 10 — OverviewEcclesiastes 10 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThis chapter seems to be like Solomon's proverbs, a collection of wise sayings and observations, rather than a part of his sermon; but the preacher studied to be sententious, and "set in order many proverbs,"…Ecclesiastes 10 — OverviewEcclesiastes 10 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeEcclesiastes 10:1, Observations of wisdom and folly; Ecclesiastes 10:16, of riot; Ecclesiastes 10:18, slothfulness; Ecclesiastes 10:19, and money; Ecclesiastes 10:20, Men’s thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.Ecclesiastes 10 — OverviewEcclesiastes 10 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter treats of the difference between wisdom and folly; and of the preferableness of the one, to the other, especially in civil government: folly is compared to a dead or deadly fly; a little of which as much…Ecclesiastes 10:1-3Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleIn these verses Solomon shows, I. What great need wise men have to take heed of being guilty of any instance of folly; for a little folly is a great blemish to him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour, and…Ecclesiastes 10:1-3Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 · The Pulpit CommentarySection 11. A little folly mars the effect of wisdom, and is sure to make itself conspicuous.Ecclesiastes 10:1-15Ecclesiastes 10:1-15 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe dispraise of folly. I. FOLLY MARS THE FINEST REPUTATION. As one sinner destroyeth much good (Ecclesiastes 9:18), and flies of death, or poisonous flies, cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking…