Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
Parallel translations
- WEB Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
- KJV 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!
- NKJV Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness!
- NASB Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
- NLT Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Blessed is the land whose king is of noble character and whose princes feast at the proper time for strength, not drunkenness. Disciplined, worthy leadership brings a nation good.
Overview
In contrast to verse 16, Qoheleth blesses the land with mature, self-controlled rulers who indulge appropriately and govern responsibly. Good leadership marked by virtue and discipline benefits the whole people. This points to the blessedness of righteous rule, perfectly realized in the reign of the true and noble King Jesus (Proverbs 29:4; Isaiah 32:1).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Prov 31:4–5It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
- Jer 30:21Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?” declares the LORD.
- Eccl 10:6–7Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
- Prov 28:2–3A land in rebellion has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.
- Isa 5:11Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine.
- Deut 14:26Then you may spend the money on anything you desire: cattle, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you wish. You are to feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice with your household.
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The search that finds everything 'under the sun' to be vapor exposes the emptiness of life without God and drives us to the one who alone gives meaning, the resurrection that makes our labor not in vain.
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Original language
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