The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 5:1 Explained

Ecclesiastes 5:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ecclesiastes 5:1 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 5

1  vanities in divine service
8  in murmuring against oppression
9  and in riches
18  Joy in riches is the gift of God

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 5:1 mean?

Prudently - Walk when you go to the house of God and draw near to hear rather than to give the fools sacrifice for not they do know that they do evil
שְׁמֹ֣ר [רגליך] (רַגְלְךָ֗) כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָר֣וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי־ אֵינָ֥ם יוֹדְעִ֖ים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע

שְׁמֹ֣ר  Prudently 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
[רגליך]  - 
Parse: Noun, fdc, second person masculine singular
(רַגְלְךָ֗)  Walk 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
תֵּלֵךְ֙  you  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְקָר֣וֹב  and  draw  near 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: קָרֹוב  
Sense: near.
לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ  to  hear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
מִתֵּ֥ת  rather  than  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַכְּסִילִ֖ים  the  fools 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּסִיל  
Sense: fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one.
זָ֑בַח  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
יוֹדְעִ֖ים  they  do  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת  that  they  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
רָֽע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.