KJV ORIGINAL
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
When people are lazy and don't do the work needed, buildings fall apart; and when hands stay idle, the roof starts leaking and the house falls down.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse is teaching that laziness leads to everything falling apart - whether it's your house, your relationships, or your responsibilities.
📚 Historical Context
Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as wisdom literature, drawing from his observations of human nature and society. In ancient Israel, maintaining a home required constant work - repairing roofs, fixing walls, and preventing decay in a harsh climate. A neglected house would quickly become uninhabitable, making this a vivid metaphor everyone could understand.
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