The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 12:11 Explained

Ecclesiastes 12:11

KJV: The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

YLT: Words of the wise are as goads, and as fences planted by the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.

Darby: The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections of them as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.

ASV: The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The words  of the wise  [are] as goads,  and as nails  fastened  [by] the masters  of assemblies,  [which] are given  from one  shepherd. 

What does Ecclesiastes 12:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 - "the End Of The Matter"
This comparison of the human body to a house is extremely beautiful. The inference is obvious that our bodies are not ourselves, but only our tenement. Our sojourn in this world is on a lodger's tenure. The keepers of the house are, of course, the arms and hands. The grinding is low as in advancing life we lose our teeth. The door is the month, for in age we talk and laugh less, and our lips become compressed. The voice pipes and mutters. The almond tree, with its white blossoms, is, of course, an appropriate symbol of old age. The lamp of life finally falls with a crash on the floor, and the wheel is broken.
What, then, is the conclusion of the whole matter? This: that earthly delights are transient; that all this world can offer is an inn for a lodging-it is not our home; that the soul must go forth on its great quest at the hour of death; and that then the one all-important consideration will be, What has been its attitude toward God? Let us love God with the loving fear of grieving Him that casts out the fear which has torment. This is the whole matter; that is the one matter of overshadowing importance [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 12

1  the Creator is to be remembered in due time
8  The preacher's care to edify
13  the fear of God is the chief antidote for vanity

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 12:11 mean?

The words of the wise are like goads and are like nails well-driven the words of scholars given by Shepherd one
דִּבְרֵ֤י חֲכָמִים֙ כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹת וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹת נְטוּעִ֖ים בַּעֲלֵ֣י אֲסֻפּ֑וֹת נִתְּנ֖וּ מֵרֹעֶ֥ה אֶחָֽד

דִּבְרֵ֤י  The  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
חֲכָמִים֙  of  the  wise 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹת  are  like  goads 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּרְבָן 
Sense: goad.
וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹת  and  are  like  nails 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַשְׂמֵרָה  
Sense: nail.
נְטוּעִ֖ים  well-driven 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: נָטַע  
Sense: to plant, fasten, fix, establish.
בַּעֲלֵ֣י  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בָּעַל 
Sense: owner, husband, lord.
אֲסֻפּ֑וֹת  of  scholars 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֲסֻפָּה  
Sense: collection.
נִתְּנ֖וּ  given 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מֵרֹעֶ֥ה  by  Shepherd 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
אֶחָֽד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).