כִּ֣י כְקֹ֤ול הַסִּירִים֙ תַּ֣חַת הַסִּ֔יר כֵּ֖ן שְׂחֹ֣ק הַכְּסִ֑יל וְגַם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃
(Ecclesiastes 7:6)
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot so is the laughter of the fool and this too is vanity
Introduction: Sound and Meaning Collide
Ecclesiastes is a masterclass in poetic and philosophical economy. In 7:6, a vivid simile becomes a vehicle for both critique and epiphany. The verse compares the laughter of a fool to the sound of burning thorns beneath a pot—noisy, brief, and ultimately empty. Yet the linguistic power of this verse lies in how it structures that comparison: through the syntax of simile and the poetics of futility.
This article dissects the verse’s grammatical scaffolding—focusing on how comparative particles, poetic rhythm, and morphological choices render the metaphor both sharp and self-condemning.
The Core Simile: כִּי כְקֹול … כֵּן
Simile Construction
This verse uses a balanced comparative formula:
– כִּי – “for,” introducing an explanatory clause
– כְ־ – comparative preposition: “like”
– כֵּן – correlative: “so,” “thus,” used to introduce the second half of the comparison
The structure:
כְקֹול הַסִּירִים תַּחַת הַסִּיר
(“like the sound of thorns under the pot”)
כֵּן שְׂחֹק הַכְּסִיל
(“so is the laughter of the fool”)
Table: Comparative Structure and Morphology
| Phrase | Form | Root | Meaning | Grammatical Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּי | Conjunction | — | for | Introduces explanatory clause |
| כְקֹול | Preposition כְ + noun in construct | קול | like the sound | Start of simile |
| הַסִּירִים | Definite plural noun | סִיר | thorns (possibly pots in alternate tradition) | Construct object |
| תַּחַת הַסִּיר | Prepositional phrase | תחת | under the pot | Describes location of noise source |
| כֵּן שְׂחֹק הַכְּסִיל | Correlative + noun + construct | שׂחק / כסל | so is the laughter of the fool | Second half of simile |
| וְגַם־זֶה הָבֶל | Disjunctive clause | הבל | this too is vanity | Final commentary from Qohelet |
Lexical and Morphological Notes
- שְׂחֹק – noun meaning “laughter,” not the verb. Emphasizes the event or sound of laughter.
- הַכְּסִיל – “the fool”; definite noun with the article, emphasizing a known class of people in Wisdom Literature.
- הַסִּירִים – possibly a play on words: literally “thorns,” but close to “pots.” The Hebrew root סיר can mean either depending on vocalization. Here likely “thorns” due to the burning imagery.
Semantic Weight: Sound without Substance
The simile presents an auditory metaphor. Thorns under a pot crackle loudly but burn quickly and provide little heat. So too, the fool’s laughter: it is noisy but lacks depth, wisdom, or endurance. Hebrew poetry leverages the sensory power of קֹול to express ephemeral spectacle.
The phrase וְגַם־זֶה הָבֶל (and this too is vanity) is Qohelet’s signature refrain. It reinforces the theological worldview of fleetingness and moral disillusionment. The laughter, which might seem joyous, is hollow when coming from folly.
Poetic Devices
- Sound Parallelism: Alliteration in סִּירִים and שְׂחֹק echoes the crackling motif.
- Lexical Ambiguity: Potential double meaning of סיר as “thorn” or “pot.” A subtle wordplay.
- Balanced Symmetry: Simile halves mirror each other syntactically and semantically.
When Laughter Burns and Fades
Ecclesiastes 7:6 is a tightly constructed simile that reveals the grammar of emptiness. Its comparative syntax—anchored in the pairing of כְ and כֵּן—turns poetic observation into moral critique. Laughter, when divorced from wisdom, is nothing more than crackling thorns: noisy, fiery, brief, and cold. This verse shows how Biblical Hebrew uses syntax to illuminate character, and how even grammar can burn with truth.
