TRV
Translation
King James Version
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Complete Jewish Bible
Parties are made for having a good time, wine adds cheer to life, and money has an answer for everything.
Berean Standard Bible
A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
American Standard Version
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
World English Bible Messianic
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
Geneva Bible (1599)
They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
Young's Literal Translation
For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
See also
In the KJVVerse 17,513 of 31,102
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Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10 verses 16–20
16 ¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed 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!
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Solomon here observes,
I. How much the happiness of a land depends upon the character of its rulers; it is well or ill with the people according as the princes are good or bad. 1. The people cannot be happy when their princes are childish and voluptuous (Ecc 10:16): Woe unto thee, O land! even the land of Canaan itself, though otherwise the glory of all lands, when thy king is a child, not so much in age (Solomon himself was young when his kingdom was happy in him) as in understanding; when the prince is weak and foolish as a child, fickle and fond of changes, fretful and humoursome, easily imposed upon, and hardly brought to business, it is ill with the people. The body staggers if the head be giddy. Perhaps Solomon wrote this with a foresight of his son Rehoboam's ill conduct (Ch2 13:7); he was a child all the days of his life and his family and kingdom fared the worse for it. Nor is it much better with a people when their princes eat in the morning, that is, make a god of their belly and make themselves slaves to their appetites. If the king himself be a child, yet if the princes and privy-counsellors are wise and faithful, and apply themselves to business, the land may do the better; but if they addict themselves to their pleasures, and prefer the gratifications of the flesh before the despatch of the public business, which they disfit themselves for by eating and drinking in a morning, when judges are epicures, and do not eat to live, but live to eat, what good can a nation expect! 2. The people cannot but be happy when their rulers are generous and active, sober and temperate, and men of business, Ecc 10:17. The land is then blessed, (1.) When the sovereign is governed by principles of honour, when the king is the son of nobles, actuated and animated by a noble spirit, which scorns to do any thing base and unbecoming so high a character, which is solicitous for the public welfare, and prefers that before any private interests. Wisdom, virtue, and the fear of God, beneficence, and a readiness to do good to all mankind, these ennoble the royal blood. 2. When the subordinate magistrates are more in care to discharge their trusts than to gratify their appetites; when they eat in due season (Psa 145:15); let us not take ours unseasonable, lest we lose the comfort of seeing God give it to us. Magistrates should eat for strength, that their bodies may be fitted to serve their souls in the service of God and their country, and not for drunkenness, to make themselves unfit to do any thing either for God or man, and particularly to sit in judgment, for they will err through wine (Isa 28:7), will drink and forget the law, Pro 31:5. It is well with a people when their princes are examples of temperance, when those that have most to spend upon themselves know how to deny themselves.
II. Of what ill consequence slothfulness is both to private and public affairs (Ecc 10:18): By much slothfulness and idleness of the hands, the neglect of business, and the love of ease and pleasure, the building decays, drops through first, and by degrees drops down. If it be not kept well covered, and care be not taken to repair the breaches, as any happen, it will rain in, and the timber will rot, and the house will become unfit to dwell in. It is so with the family and the affairs of it; if men cannot find in their hearts to take pains in their callings, to tend their shops and look after their own business, they will soon run in debt and go behind-hand, and, instead of making what they have more for their children, will make it less. It is so with the public; if the king be a child and will take no care, if the princes eat in the morning and will take no pains, the affairs of the nation suffer loss, and its interests are prejudiced, its honour is sullied, its power is weakened, its borders are encroached upon, the course of justice is obstructed, the treasure is exhausted, and all its foundations are out of course, and all this through the slothfulness of self-seeking of those that should be the repairers of its breaches and the restorers of paths to dwell in, Isa 58:12.
III. How industrious generally all are, both princes and people, to get money, because that serves for all purposes, Ecc 10:19. He seems to prefer money before mirth: A feast is made for laughter, not merely for eating, but chiefly for pleasant conversation and the society of friends, not the laughter of the fool, which is madness, but that of wise men, by which they fit themselves for business and severe studies. Spiritual feasts are made for spiritual laughter, holy joy in God. Wine makes merry, makes glad the life, but money is the measure of all things and answers all things. Pecuniae obediunt omnia - Money commands all things. Though wine make merry, it will not be a house for us, nor a bed, nor clothing, nor provisions and portions for children; but money, if men have enough of it, will be all these. The feast cannot be made without money, and, though men have wine, they are not so much disposed to be merry unless they have money for the necessary supports of life. Money of itself answers nothing; it will neither feed nor clothe; but, as it is the instrument of commerce, it answers all the occasions of this present life. What is to be had may be had for money. But it answers nothing to the soul; it will not procure the pardon of sin, the favour of God, the peace of conscience; the soul, as it is not redeemed, so it is not maintained, with corruptible things as silver and gold. Some refer this to rulers; it is ill with the people when they give up themselves to luxury and riot, feasting and making merry, not only because their business is neglected, but because money must be had to answer all these things, and, in order to that, the people squeezed by heavy taxes.
IV. How cautious subjects have need to be that they harbour not any disloyal purposes in their minds, nor keep up any factious cabals or consultations against the government, because it is ten to one that they are discovered and brought to light, Ecc 10:20. "Though rulers should be guilty of some errors, yet be not, upon all occasions, arraigning their administration and running them down, but make the best of them." Here, 1. The command teaches us our duty "Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, do not wish ill to the government in thy mind." All sin begins there, and therefore the first risings of it must be curbed and suppressed, and particularly that of treason and sedition. "Curse not the rich, the princes and governors, in thy bed-chamber, in a conclave or club of persons disaffected to the government; associate not with such; come not into their secret; join not with them in speaking ill of the government or plotting against it." 2. The reason consults our safety. "Though the design be carried on ever so closely, a bird of the air shall carry the voice to the king, who has more spies about than thou art aware of, and that which has wings shall tell the matter, to thy confusion and ruin." God sees what men do, and hears what they say, in secret; and, when he pleases, he can bring it to light by strange and unsuspected ways. Wouldst thou then not be hurt by the powers that be, nor be afraid of them? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same; but, if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, Rom 13:3, Rom 13:4.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 16–20. Public domain.
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Oresiesis-Heru-sa AstAD 380
Let each one do his work without chatting or shouting. Let absolutely no one laugh, so that there will not apply to us the reproach of the Scriptures, “They make bread for laughter.” If someone needs to ask his neighbor a question, he must do so quietly, without shouting.
HorsiesiosAD 387
REGULATIONS 40
Let each one do his work without chatting or shouting. Let absolutely no one laugh, so that there will not apply to us the reproach of the Scriptures, “They make bread for laughter.” If someone needs to ask his neighbor a question, he must do so quietly, without shouting.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ecclesiastes
"A feast
is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, but money answers
everything. "I think that what follows relates to the
preceding verses. For with regard to the
sloth and the indolence of teachers the Church is lowered, and its roof is made
to fall, and its timbers leak, as we have shown above. Therefore here he is speaking of the
self-same teachers. And he has been seen
to accuse them, asking why they remain silent and do not make use of their duty
as teacher, (that is both for bishops and elders in the Church), saying that
they neither work on their speaking nor doctrine, the same that even Titus
admonishes [Cfr Tit. 1, 5.],
and is taught by Timothy [Cfr. I Tim. 4, 14.],
so that one does not forget the grace of God, which is bestowed upon a great
man. But in this respect they see
themselves as elders and bishops, so that they receive an allowance, and many
teachers ask for a two-fold glory, which is owed in fact to those who work on
their speaking and doctrines. But now he
takes the other side and accuses those who even speak in the Church and teach
the congregation, but they teach the people that which they like to hear,
because he flatters the sinner in his crime and incites the listeners to
applaud. For surely when such a teacher
is giving a lascivious speech in the Church, does he not promise the blessing
and realm of heaven to the crowd, as it will seem to you that his laughter
makes bread, and he mixes wine with the happiness of those who drink? Or as those who teach and seek riches, food,
and wealth through the promised delights.
Or the bread of the Church, which is the bread of mourners, and not of
those who laugh, because those who weep are blessed, for they will laugh, and
will have joy in their happiness. He
also goes on to say: money or silver answers everything, and this must be taken
as two-fold: either that those learned men become rich after their praise, and
take their place at the head of the people, or indeed, since money is always
taken in return for a speech: for "the words of the LORD are pure words:
as silver extracted in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." [Ps. 12, 6.] He asserts this because the ignoble crowd is
always moved easily by eloquence and speeches, which are composed of a great
foliage of words. Differently: those
who have free-will and are forbidden to mourn and fast, make bread in their
laughter. Isaac gets his name from this
bread as well, and in the happiness of drinking they prepare wine. And so every holy man, who is teacher of the
Church, as Christ commanded, makes bread in his laughter and happiness, and hands
out cups of wine in his joy. Money also,
which answers everything, is given out as five, and two and one talent for the
head of the family in the Gospel [Cfr. Matth. 25, 15-30.]. And ten coins which are thought to be for
slaves in business.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Ecclesiastes 10:19 offers a pragmatic, yet characteristic "under the sun" observation from Qoheleth, acknowledging the universal human desire for pleasure and celebration. It notes that feasts and wine are conventional sources of merriment and laughter. However, the verse sharply pivots to highlight the pervasive and indispensable role of money, asserting its functional power to facilitate these enjoyments and, more broadly, to address and resolve virtually all practical matters and challenges within the material world. This encapsulates a stark truth about the human condition and the undeniable utility of wealth in a fallen world.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ecclesiastes 10:19 masterfully employs Juxtaposition by contrasting the desired outcomes of human pleasure (laughter, merriment from feasts and wine) with the underlying, often unacknowledged, practical necessity (money). This creates a realistic, almost cynical, observation on the human condition. The phrase "feast and wine" functions as a Merism or Synecdoche, representing all forms of earthly enjoyment and celebration, where two specific items stand for a broader category of pleasures. The concluding statement, "money answereth all [things]," is an Aphorism—a concise, pithy statement expressing a general truth or principle, characteristic of wisdom literature. It also contains Hyperbole in "all [things]," as money cannot truly answer all things (e.g., spiritual needs, ultimate meaning, death), but it powerfully conveys its pervasive practical utility in the material world.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse, while a stark observation of worldly reality, invites profound theological reflection. It highlights the tension between the legitimate enjoyment of God's good gifts (like food and wine for celebration) and the ever-present danger of placing ultimate trust or hope in material resources. While God provides for our needs and intends for us to enjoy life (as seen in Ecclesiastes 3:13), Qoheleth's realism about money's power serves as a subtle warning. It underscores humanity's reliance on tangible means to achieve even simple joys, yet it implicitly points to the limitations of such means. True joy and lasting satisfaction cannot be purchased, nor can money provide ultimate answers to life's deepest questions or solve spiritual dilemmas. The New Testament strongly cautions against the idolatry of wealth, reminding us that while money has practical utility, the love of it is a root of all kinds of evil.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ecclesiastes 10:19 challenges us to confront the practical realities of our financial lives while maintaining a kingdom perspective. It's a reminder that while money is a necessary tool for navigating the world—enabling us to provide for ourselves and our families, participate in celebrations, and even support good causes—it is not an ultimate solution or source of security. We must acknowledge its functional power without succumbing to materialism or allowing it to become an idol. The verse encourages us to be wise stewards of our resources, understanding that true joy, peace, and fulfillment come not from what money can buy, but from our relationship with God and the eternal riches found in Christ. It calls us to cultivate contentment, generosity, and a recognition that even our most cherished earthly enjoyments are fleeting and dependent on the material means that money provides, which themselves are ultimately from God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Ecclesiastes 10:19 endorse materialism or the pursuit of wealth as life's ultimate goal?
Answer: No, this verse does not endorse materialism. Like many passages in Ecclesiastes, it functions as an observation of life "under the sun," a realistic assessment of how the world operates. Qoheleth, the author, frequently highlights the futility (hevel) of seeking ultimate satisfaction in earthly pursuits, including wealth (e.g., Ecclesiastes 1:2 and Ecclesiastes 5:10). The statement about money "answering all [things]" is a pragmatic acknowledgment of its pervasive practical utility in a material world, not a theological endorsement of its power to provide ultimate meaning or spiritual fulfillment.
How does this verse relate to other biblical teachings on money and possessions?
Answer: Ecclesiastes 10:19 provides a realistic counterpoint to idealistic views, grounding us in the practical reality that money does facilitate much of life's activities and enjoyments. This aligns with other biblical teachings that acknowledge money's utility (e.g., Proverbs 10:22). However, it stands in tension with warnings against the dangers of greed and the love of money, which the New Testament famously calls "a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). The verse reminds us that while money can provide earthly answers, it cannot buy spiritual peace, eternal life, or true contentment. The Bible consistently teaches that our ultimate security and satisfaction must come from God, not from wealth, and that we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ecclesiastes 10:19, with its candid observation about feasts, merriment, and the practical power of money, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reorientation in Christ. The temporary laughter and fleeting joy derived from earthly feasts and wine point to the eternal, unceasing joy and fellowship found in the Kingdom of God, ultimately culminating in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb where Christ Himself is the host and the source of all delight. While money "answers all things" in a worldly sense, it utterly fails to address humanity's deepest need: reconciliation with God and salvation from sin. It cannot purchase forgiveness, eternal life, or true peace. Christ, however, is the ultimate "answer" to all things that truly matter. He is the Bread of Life who satisfies spiritual hunger, and the Living Water who quenches spiritual thirst, providing a joy that the world cannot give or take away (John 16:22). In Him, we find true riches that do not fade (Matthew 6:19-21), and He promises to supply all our needs according to His glorious riches, far surpassing anything money could ever provide. The wisdom of Ecclesiastes, in highlighting the limitations of earthly solutions, ultimately directs our gaze to the One who is the true and lasting solution for all of life's deepest longings and eternal realities.