Ecclesiastes 7:6 kjv
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 7:6 nkjv
For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 7:6 niv
Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 7:6 esv
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 7:6 nlt
A fool's laughter is quickly gone,
like thorns crackling in a fire.
This also is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 7 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ecc 2:2 | I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?" | Laughter's vanity |
| Ecc 7:3 | Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of face the heart is made better. | Better sorrow than vain laughter |
| Ecc 7:5 | It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools. | Wise rebuke over fool's entertainment |
| Prov 10:23 | Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. | Folly delights in wickedness |
| Prov 14:13 | Even in laughter the heart may be sad, and the end of joy may be grief. | Superficial laughter can mask sorrow |
| Prov 15:21 | Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly. | Foolish joy lacks discernment |
| Prov 17:10 | A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. | Fool disregards correction |
| Ps 1:4 | The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. | Wicked's fleeting existence |
| Ps 58:9 | Before your pots can feel the heat of thorns, He will sweep them away with a whirlwind… | Sudden destruction like thorns burnt quickly |
| Ps 118:12 | They surrounded me like bees; they were extinguished like a fire of thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off. | Brief but fierce, then gone |
| Isa 50:11 | Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning brands… you shall lie down in torment. | Human-made, fleeting fires lead to woe |
| Amos 6:13 | You who rejoice in Lodebar, who say, "Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?" | Empty boasts, false sense of achievement |
| Lk 6:25 | Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. | Future judgment on worldly pleasure |
| Jas 4:9 | Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. | Repentance requires sorrow, not vain laughter |
| Jas 4:14 | Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. | Life's transience |
| 1 Pet 1:24 | For "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass; the grass withers, and the flower falls." | Earthly glory is fleeting |
| Matt 7:26 | And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man… | Foolish build on sand |
| Matt 13:20-21 | As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy… quickly falls away. | Shallow joy in God's word |
| Phil 3:19 | Their end is destruction, their god is their stomach, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. | Worldly desires leading to destruction |
| 2 Tim 3:2-4 | For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant… unholy, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. | Traits of foolish, self-serving people |
| Job 8:12 | While it is yet in blossom and not cut down, it withers before any other plant. | Ungodly's fleeting prosperity |
| Prov 26:7 | Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. | Folly renders truth ineffective |
| Ps 37:20 | But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish – like smoke they vanish away. | Wicked disappear like smoke |
| Lk 16:25 | But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.' | Present joy versus future torment |
Ecclesiastes 7 verses
Ecclesiastes 7 6 Meaning
Ecclesiastes 7:6 describes the fleeting and useless nature of the laughter of a fool. It compares this laughter to the sound of burning thorns under a pot: loud and noticeable for a moment, but quickly consumed, providing no lasting heat or benefit. This emphasizes the superficiality and worthlessness of a fool's merriment, which lacks true joy or substance and ultimately achieves nothing beneficial.
Ecclesiastes 7 6 Context
Ecclesiastes chapter 7 focuses on a series of contrasting proverbial statements that guide the reader towards a path of wisdom. Following the general themes of Ecclesiastes regarding the vanity (heḇel) of life under the sun, this chapter contrasts better things with worse: a good name over precious oil, the day of death over the day of birth, mourning over feasting, and the rebuke of the wise over the song of fools. Verse 6 directly follows verse 5, which states the preference for the wise rebuke over the song of fools. This sets the stage for comparing the worthlessness of the fool's joyful sound to a practical, yet useless, form of fuel. The Preacher consistently juxtaposes true wisdom, which often brings a somber perspective, with superficial folly that leads to ephemeral delight.
Ecclesiastes 7 6 Word analysis
For as the crackling: (Hebrew: kəqōl haš·šîrîm).
- kə- (like, as): Introduces a simile, indicating a comparison.
- qōl (קׄל): Voice, sound, noise. Emphasizes auditory perception; it's about the noise generated, not substance.
- haš·šīrīm (הַשִּׁירִים): Thorns. This refers to the dry, woody thorn bushes, known for igniting quickly with a loud crackling sound but burning out very rapidly without providing significant, lasting heat. The noise is disproportionate to the actual utility.
of thorns under a pot: (Hebrew: sīr).
- sīr (סִיר): Cooking pot. This context highlights the intended purpose of the fire: to provide sustained heat for cooking. Thorns, though flammable, are unsuitable for this purpose as they burn too quickly, producing much noise but little sustained, useful heat. It underscores inefficiency and futility.
so is the laughter: (Hebrew: kē śəḥōq).
- kē (so, likewise): Connects the simile.
- śəḥōq (שְׂחֹק): Laughter, mockery, scorn, amusement. Often refers to shallow or inappropriate laughter in Scripture, lacking depth or true joy.
of the fool: (Hebrew: hakkəsîl).
- kəsîl (כְּסִיל): Fool. Not merely unintelligent, but morally obstinate, resistant to wisdom, reckless, and given to wickedness. This "fool" despises knowledge and insight, and their laughter reflects their superficial nature and moral obtuseness. It's often laughter at things that should evoke seriousness or repentance.
This also is vanity: (Hebrew: heḇel).
- heḇel (הֶבֶל): Vanity, emptiness, breath, vapor, fleeting, meaningless, absurd. This is a core thematic word in Ecclesiastes. It characterizes the laughter of the fool as empty, transient, and utterly devoid of enduring worth or substance, just like a wisp of smoke or breath that quickly dissipates.
Ecclesiastes 7 6 Bonus section
The comparison of the fool's laughter to crackling thorns also hints at the self-consuming nature of folly. The very energy and display that a fool expends in their laughter is swiftly consumed, leaving no lasting product. This implies that such a life, full of empty mirth and superficial pursuits, also ultimately burns out, achieving nothing of eternal significance. The sound and fury signify nothing, as their 'fire' is incapable of sustained application or warmth, reflecting a lack of purposeful direction in life guided by wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 7 6 Commentary
The Preacher in Ecclesiastes 7:6 delivers a piercing observation about the nature of foolishness. The analogy of crackling thorns vividly illustrates the fool's laughter: it's a sound, loud and momentarily attention-grabbing, yet ultimately without substance or enduring benefit. Just as thorns are a poor choice for sustained fire under a pot, quickly consumed without providing real warmth or a proper meal, so too is the mirth of a fool. It is impulsive, shallow, and indicates a fundamental disconnect from wisdom. This kind of laughter is often a reaction to fleeting pleasures, an avoidance of hard truths, or a display of scorn. Unlike the deeper, often quieter joy that comes from wisdom and truth, the fool's laughter is ephemeral, signifying nothing profound or lasting. Its vanity means it produces no true peace, no spiritual fruit, and no lasting well-being for the one who engages in it, nor for those who hear it.