The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 4:14 Explained

Ecclesiastes 4:14

KJV: For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

YLT: For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.

Darby: For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.

ASV: For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For out of prison  he cometh  to reign;  whereas also [he that is] born  in his kingdom  becometh poor. 

What does Ecclesiastes 4:14 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 4:14 mean?

For out of prison band he comes to be king whereas Although in his kingdom he was born poor
כִּֽי־ מִבֵּ֥ית הָסוּרִ֖ים יָצָ֣א לִמְלֹ֑ךְ כִּ֛י גַּ֥ם בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ נוֹלַ֥ד רָֽשׁ

מִבֵּ֥ית  out  of  prison 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָסוּרִ֖ים  band 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: אֵסוּר  
Sense: band, bond.
יָצָ֣א  he  comes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
לִמְלֹ֑ךְ  to  be  king 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
כִּ֛י  whereas 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
גַּ֥ם  Although 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ  in  his  kingdom 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַלְכוּת  
Sense: royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom, sovereign power.
נוֹלַ֥ד  he  was  born 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
רָֽשׁ  poor 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רוּשׁ  
Sense: to be poor, be in want, lack.