Ecclesiastes 10:4
in Ecclesiastes 10If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.
KJV
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 10
Commentary
14 notes on this verseIf the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee - If the king get incensed against thee. Leave not thy place - Humble thyself before him, that is thy place and duty; for yielding to him, and not standing stoutly in thy defense, pacifieth great offenses: and then, when his anger is appeased, he will hear any thing in thy justification, if thou have any thing to offer. This is good advice to a child in reference to his parents, and to an inferior of any kind in reference to his superiors.
This site's exposition
If the ruler’s temper flares against you
on Ecclesiastes 10:4-7
The court cluster opens: If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest. Then comes an error that proceeds from the ruler: Folly is appointed to great heights, and I have seen slaves on horseback.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
We also read in Ecclesiastes, "If the spirit of him that has power, ascend upon your heart, leave not your place." From this it is clearly evident that we have committed a sin if we surrender our place to him who ascends upon us and if we have not cast down headlong the enemy ascending upon the walls. However, it seems to me that when you call down upon the heads of your brothers, that is to say, upon your slanderers, eternal fires with the devil, you are not so much dashing your brothers to the ground as you are elevating the devil, since he is to be punished in the same fires as Christians.
He who sins gives place to the devil, taking no heed of him who said, "Do not give place to the devil," or to Ecclesiastes, "If the spirit of him that has power ascends upon you, leave not your place." Let us, then, who are in the Lord and who, as much as we are able, observe closely his wonders, so draw joy to our hearts from the contemplation of them.
"If the anger of the ruler rises against you"—if he seems to have power over you, it is only because you have subjected yourself to him. For as "sin reigns in the mortal bodies" of those who want to "obey their passions," and as someone …
You alone are not the source of the trouble, but there is also one who instigates you, the accursed devil. He makes his suggestions to all, but he does not prevail by force over those who do not give way to him. Therefore Ecclesiastes says, "Should the anger of the ruler burst upon you, forsake not your place." If you shut your door, you will be out of his reach and he will not harm you. But if you are so careless as to admit the lustful thought, reflection will cause it to strike roots within you; it will capture your mind and drag you down into an abyss of sins.
"If the anger of a ruler flares up against you, do not leave your place, for defence appeases great offences. "Now the Scripture mentions the chief of that world, the creator of the darkness and he who toils for the sons of despair, whom the apostle also recalls. [Cfr.
7 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
Let no one then say, We have no portion in Jacob nor inheritance in Israel. Let no one say, I am not among the Clergy, for it is written, Give unto Levi his lots; and again David says that he who lieth in the midst among the lots ascends to heaven with spiritual wings. Say not of your God, He is grievous to us, nor of your place, it is not for our turn, since Scripture says, Leave not thy place: For the adversary would fain deprive thee of it, he would fain drive thee away, for he envies thee thy hopes and thy function.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The contempt of the wise man has been set forth above, and conversely his just commendation: here is subjoined thirdly the promotion of fools. And because the authority of fools is burdensome, therefore the armor of patience is set forth first, and the disordered authority …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
To live quiet and peaceable lives, and not to meddle with those that are factious and seditious, and are endeavouring to disturb the government and the public repose, the folly and danger of which disloyal and turbulent practices he shows,
It is safer and better to yield to an angry prince than to contend with him. Let not subjects commence a quarrel with their prince, though the public administration be not in every thing as they would have it. He grants there is an evil often seen under the sun, and it is a king's-evil, an evil which the king only can cure, for it is an error which proceeds from the ruler (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The spirit - The passion. Leave not - In anger or discontent. Continue in a diligent and faithful discharge of thy duty, and modestly and humbly submit to him.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
If the spirit ... - i. e., If he is angry. Leave not thy place - i. e., Do not lose thy self-control and quit his presence. Gentleness on thy part will calm both thyself and him, and prevent great wrongs being committed by either.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| ר֤וּחַ | ruach | [the] spirit of | H7307 → | 378 times |
| הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ | hamoshel | the ruler | H4910 → | |
| תַּעֲלֶ֣ה | taaleh | it will go up | H5927 → | |
| עָלֶ֔יךָ | ʾaleikha | towards you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| מְקוֹמְךָ֖ | mekomcha | place your | H4725 → | 401 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תַּנַּ֑ח | tanach | you leave | H5117 → | 142 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מַרְפֵּ֔א | marpe' | calmness | H4832 → | |
| יַנִּ֖יחַ | yaniach | it will cause to rest | H5117 → | 142 times |
| חֲטָאִ֥ים | chataim | sins | H2399 → | |
| גְּדוֹלִֽים׃ | gedolim | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
ר֤וּחַ[the] spirit of
ruachH7307 →378 times
הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙the ruler
hamoshelH4910 →
תַּעֲלֶ֣הit will go up
taalehH5927 →
עָלֶ֔יךָtowards you
ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times
מְקוֹמְךָ֖place your
mekomchaH4725 →401 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תַּנַּ֑חyou leave
tanachH5117 →142 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מַרְפֵּ֔אcalmness
marpe'H4832 →
יַנִּ֖יחַit will cause to rest
yaniachH5117 →142 times
חֲטָאִ֥יםsins
chataimH2399 →
גְּדוֹלִֽים׃great
gedolimH1419 →526 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 25:15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Proverbs 16:14
The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
- 1 Samuel 25:14
Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s young men informed Nabal’s wife Abigail, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he scolded them.
- 1 Samuel 25:24–44
She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.
- Proverbs 15:1
Through
Ecclesiastes 8:3Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.
it leads to
- Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Acts 5:8–9
“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
- Daniel 5:19
Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted…
- Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain…
- Proverbs 14:29
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Letter LXXXI, To Certain of the Clergy; Basil of Caesarea, HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 15:1 (PSALM 32); Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2:3; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 294:2; Jerome, Against Rufinus 2.7; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.