The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 7:7 Explained

Ecclesiastes 7:7

KJV: Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

YLT: Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.

Darby: Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.

ASV: Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Surely oppression  maketh a wise man  mad;  and a gift  destroyeth  the heart. 

What does Ecclesiastes 7:7 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 7

1  remedies against vanity are, a good name
2  mortification
7  patience
11  wisdom
23  The difficulty of wisdom

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 7:7 mean?

Surely oppression destroys reason a wise [man's] and debases - the heart a bribe
כִּ֥י הָעֹ֖שֶׁק יְהוֹלֵ֣ל חָכָ֑ם וִֽיאַבֵּ֥ד אֶת־ לֵ֖ב מַתָּנָֽה

כִּ֥י  Surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הָעֹ֖שֶׁק  oppression 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹשֶׁק  
Sense: oppression, extortion, injury.
יְהוֹלֵ֣ל  destroys  reason 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.
חָכָ֑ם  a  wise  [man's] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
וִֽיאַבֵּ֥ד  and  debases 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
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.
לֵ֖ב  the  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
מַתָּנָֽה  a  bribe 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַתָּנָה  
Sense: gift.