King James Version

Ecclesiastes 5:1

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

In the Hebrew text this line is Ecclesiastes 4:17.

שְׁמֹ֣רshemorbewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “beward”, a commandH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).רגליךrglykhfootרֶגֶלnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “foot”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7272a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda[idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.רַגְלְךָ֗raglekhafootרֶגֶלnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “foot”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7272a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda[idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.כַּאֲשֶׁ֤רkaasheras becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “as because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…תֵּלֵךְ֙telekhecarryיָלַךְverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “carry”, an unfinished actionH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).בֵּ֣יתbeytfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…הָאֱלֹהִ֔יםhaelohimthe Godאֱלֹהִיםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.וְקָר֣וֹבveqarovand nearקָרוֹבconjunction, verb, qal, infinitive absolute — “and near”, the verb used for emphasisH7138near (in place, kindred or time)allied, approach, at hand, [phrase] any of kin, kinsfold(-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is) next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short(-ly).לִשְׁמֹ֔עַlishmoato hearשָׁמַעpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to hear”, the to-form of the verbH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…מִתֵּ֥תmitetfrom giveנָתַןpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “from give”, the to-form of the verbH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…הַכְּסִילִ֖יםhaksilimthe foolכְּסִילdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “the fool”, the ordinary formH3684properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or sillyfool(-ish).זָ֑בַחzavachsacrificeזֶבַחnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “sacrifice”, the ordinary formH2077properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)offer(-ing), sacrifice.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אֵינָ֥םeynamelseאַיִןparticle, negative, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).יוֹדְעִ֖יםyodeimknowיָדַעverb, qal, participle, absolute — “know”, a verb used as a describing wordH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתlaasotto doעָשָׂהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to do”, the to-form of the verbH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…רָֽעrabadרַעadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(4-17) Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Keep 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.

Young’s Literal Translation

Keep thy feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil.

World English Bible

Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.

Darby Translation

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and draw near to hear, rather than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

Douay-Rheims

Speak not any thing rashly, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(4-17) Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Keep thy foot, whensoever thou goest to the house of God; and when thou art near to hear, let thy sacrifice be better than the gift of fools: for they know not that they are doing evil.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Φύλαξον τὸν πόδα σου, ἐν ᾧ ἐὰν πορεύῃ εἰς οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἀκούειν, ὑπὲρ δόμα τῶν ἀφρόνων θυσία σου, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν εἰδότες τοῦ ποιῆσαι κακόν.