The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 4:10 Explained

Ecclesiastes 4:10

KJV: For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

YLT: For if they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!

Darby: For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!

ASV: For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For if they fall,  the one  will lift up  his fellow:  but woe  to him [that is] alone  when he falleth;  for [he hath] not another  to help him up. 

What does Ecclesiastes 4:10 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 4

1  vanity is increased unto men by oppression
4  by envy
5  by idleness
7  by covetousness
9  by solitariness
13  by willfulness

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 4:10 mean?

For if they fall one will lift up - his companion But woe to him [who is but] one when he falls for [he has] no second to help him up
כִּ֣י אִם־ יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת־ חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ

יִפֹּ֔לוּ  they  fall 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
הָאֶחָ֖ד  one 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
יָקִ֣ים  will  lift  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֲבֵר֑וֹ  his  companion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָבֵר  
Sense: united.
וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ  But  woe  to  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pi, Interjection, third person masculine singular
Root: אִי 
Sense: alas!, woe!.
הָֽאֶחָד֙  [who  is  but]  one 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל  when  he  falls 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
וְאֵ֥ין  for  [he  has]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
שֵׁנִ֖י  second 
Parse: Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שֵׁנִי  
Sense: second.
לַהֲקִימֽוֹ  to  help  him  up 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.