Ecclesiastes 7:6
New International Version
Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.

New Living Translation
A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.

English Standard Version
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.

Berean Standard Bible
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

King James Bible
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

New King James Version
For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

New American Standard Bible
For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.

NASB 1995
For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.

NASB 1977
For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool, And this too is futility.

Legacy Standard Bible
For as the crackling sound of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is vanity.

Amplified Bible
For like the crackling of [burning] thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is vanity (futility).

Christian Standard Bible
for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

American Standard Version
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

Contemporary English Version
Foolish laughter is stupid. It sounds like thorns crackling in a fire.

English Revised Version
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The laughter of a fool is like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot. Even this is pointless.

Good News Translation
When a fool laughs, it is like thorns crackling in a fire. It doesn't mean a thing.

International Standard Version
For as thorns burn to heat a pot, so also is the laughter of the fool— even this is pointless.

Majority Standard Bible
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

NET Bible
For like the crackling of quick-burning thorns under a cooking pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This kind of folly also is useless.

New Heart English Bible
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

Webster's Bible Translation
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

World English Bible
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For as the noise of thorns under the pot, "" So [is] the laughter of a fool, even this [is] vanity.

Young's Literal Translation
For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So is the laughter of a fool, even this is vanity.

Smith's Literal Translation
For as the voice of thorns under the pot, so the laughter of the foolish one. Also this is vanity.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness.

New American Bible
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the fool’s laughter. This also is vanity.

New Revised Standard Version
For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools; this also is vanity.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of fools; this is also vanity.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For like the sound of thorns under a metal pot, so is the laughter of fools, and this also is futility
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Value of Wisdom
5It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools. 6For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile. 7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.…

Cross References
Proverbs 14:13
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow.

Proverbs 10:23
The fool delights in shameful conduct, but a man of understanding has wisdom.

Proverbs 15:21
Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding walks a straight path.

Proverbs 26:18-19
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, / so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

Proverbs 29:9
If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.

Psalm 37:12-13
The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, / but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.

Psalm 73:18-20
Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. / How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors! / Like one waking from a dream, so You, O Lord, awaken and despise their form.

Isaiah 5:12
At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.

Isaiah 24:7-9
The new wine dries up, the vine withers. All the merrymakers now groan. / The joyful tambourines have ceased; the noise of revelers has stopped; the joyful harp is silent. / They no longer sing and drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who consume it.

Job 20:5
the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?

Matthew 11:16-17
To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: / ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

Luke 6:25
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Luke 12:19-20
Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ / But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

1 Corinthians 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

1 Corinthians 15:32
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”


Treasury of Scripture

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

as

Ecclesiastes 2:2
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

Psalm 58:9
Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

Psalm 118:12
They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

crackling

Proverbs 29:9
If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

Jump to Previous
Bushes Cracking Crackling Fool Foolish Fools Futility Laughter Meaningless Noise Pot Purpose Thorn Thorns Vanity
Jump to Next
Bushes Cracking Crackling Fool Foolish Fools Futility Laughter Meaningless Noise Pot Purpose Thorn Thorns Vanity
Ecclesiastes 7
1. remedies against vanity are, a good name
2. mortification
7. patience
11. wisdom
23. The difficulty of wisdom














For like the crackling of thorns under the pot
The imagery here is vivid and rooted in the ancient practices of cooking and heating. In the Hebrew context, "thorns" (Hebrew: סִירִים, sirim) were often used as kindling because they ignite quickly and burn with a bright, crackling flame. However, their heat is fleeting and insubstantial. This metaphor suggests that the laughter of fools is similarly transient and lacking in depth. The "crackling" (Hebrew: קוֹל, qol) evokes a sound that is loud and attention-grabbing but ultimately hollow. Historically, this reflects the wisdom literature's emphasis on the fleeting nature of superficial joys and the importance of seeking lasting, meaningful experiences.

so is the laughter of the fool
The "laughter" (Hebrew: שְׂחוֹק, sechoq) of the fool is compared to the ephemeral crackling of thorns. In the biblical context, laughter can be a sign of joy and celebration, but here it is associated with folly. The "fool" (Hebrew: כְּסִיל, kesil) in wisdom literature often represents someone who is morally and spiritually deficient, lacking in discernment and understanding. This comparison underscores the idea that the fool's joy is shallow and temporary, lacking the substance and depth that comes from true wisdom and understanding. Theologically, this serves as a caution against pursuing pleasures that are momentary and devoid of spiritual significance.

This too is futile
The phrase "this too is futile" (Hebrew: הֶבֶל, hebel) is a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes, often translated as "vanity" or "meaninglessness." It conveys the idea of something that is transient, elusive, and ultimately unsatisfying. In the broader context of Ecclesiastes, this reflects the Preacher's exploration of life's fleeting nature and the search for meaning beyond the superficial. Theologically, it serves as a reminder of the limitations of earthly pleasures and the importance of seeking fulfillment in God. The use of "futile" here emphasizes the need for discernment in distinguishing between what is temporary and what is eternal, encouraging believers to focus on what truly matters in the light of eternity.

(6) There is again a play on words, which German translators represent by "the crackling of nettle under the kettle," and Plumptre "the crackling of stubble which makes the pot bubble." The reference plainly is to the quick blazing up and quick going out of the flame.

Verse 6. - For as the crackling of thorns under a pot. There is a play of words in the Hebrew, "The crackling of sirim under a sir," which Wright expresses by translating, "Like the noise of the nettles under the kettles." In the East, and where wood is scarce, thorns, hay, and stubble are used for fuel (Psalm 58:9; Psalm 120:4; Matthew 6:30). Such materials are quickly kindled, blaze up for a time with much noise, and soon die away (Psalm 118:12). So is the laughter of the fool. The point of comparison is the loud crackling and the short duration of the fire with small results. So the fool's mirth is boisterous and noisy, but comes to a speedy end, and is spent to no good purpose. So in Job (Job 20:5) we have, "The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment." All this profitless mirth is again nothing but vanity.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

like the crackling
כְק֤וֹל (ḵə·qō·wl)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of thorns
הַסִּירִים֙ (has·sî·rîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5518: A pot, a thorn, a hook

under
תַּ֣חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the pot,
הַסִּ֔יר (has·sîr)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 5518: A pot, a thorn, a hook

so
כֵּ֖ן (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

is the laughter
שְׂחֹ֣ק (śə·ḥōq)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7814: Laughter, derision, sport

of the fool—
הַכְּסִ֑יל (hak·kə·sîl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

this
זֶ֖ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

too
וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

is futile.
הָֽבֶל׃ (hā·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 7:6 For as the crackling of thorns under (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 7:5
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