15 The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
15 A decent day's work so fatigues fools That they can't find their way back to town.
15 The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city!
15 Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can't even find their way home.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:15
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:11-15
(Read Ecclesiastes 10:11-15)
There is a practice in the East, of charming serpents by music. The babbler's tongue is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison; and contradiction only makes it the more violent. We must find the way to keep him gentle. But by rash, unprincipled, or slanderous talk, he brings open or secret vengeance upon himself. Would we duly consider our own ignorance as to future events, it would cut off many idle words which we foolishly multiply. Fools toil a great deal to no purpose. They do not understand the plainest things, such as the entrance into a great city. But it is the excellency of the way to the heavenly city, that it is a high-way, in which the simplest wayfaring men shall not err, Isaiah 25:8. But sinful folly makes men miss that only way to happiness.