Earlier in the chapter we saw that verse 3 consisted of two parts, a comparative or “better” saying together with a justification for that saying. Then verse 4 expanded on verse 3 by way of further explanation. In a similar manner verse 6 now gives the justification for the advice of verse 5. It provides a further comment on fools by comparing their merrymaking to the sound of thorny twigs crackling as they burn. Such twigs make a loud noise when set alight, but their heat is short-lived and they do not burn long enough nor hot enough to make the pot boil. There may be an additional element in the simile as well. When twigs are burned up nothing is left behind. In the same way the laughter of fools is empty, accomplishing nothing.

As noted throughout, the conjunction For in Hebrew can indicate an explanation, or mark emphasis, meaning something like “indeed.” Though both meanings could fit, it is the causal connection that seems to be in focus here. It is better to listen to the rebuke of wise people than the songs of fools because the latter is merely noise and amounts to nothing.

As the crackling of thorns under a pot is literally “like the sound [or, noise] of thorns under the pot.” Thorns describes a bush or shrub whose branches have thorns on them. Here the term is an abbreviation for “thorny branches” or “branches of the thorn tree.” The crackling or “sound” of the thorns is the sound made as the twigs are burning. It may therefore be necessary to give a fuller translation than a literal rendering of the Hebrew, by saying “Just like the noise made by thorny [or, thorn tree] branches burning….” The term sirim thorns introduces us to a Hebrew play on words, as it sounds very much like kesilim fools. Again it is the “s” sounds that are associated with the fool and possibly with the sound of crackling fire. It may be possible for the translator to find words that produce the same effect as the assonance in Hebrew. Jerusalem Bible uses a repetition of “k-l” sounds: “crackling of thorns under the cauldron,” while New Jerusalem Bible has “crackling of nettles under the kettle.” The choice of the word thorns may be rhetorical rather than being necessary to the sense of the illustration. If thorns is inappropriate in a language, then “twig,” “wood,” or “branches” can be used. However, the focus seems to be on thin twigs, which burn noisily yet produce little heat.

Under a pot: the pot is a cooking pot made of clay.

So is the laughter of fools: note that there is a subtle switch here from fools’ songs (verse 5) to their laughter. Of course a fool laughs like anyone else, so it is not the laughing itself but the person who laughs that is the focus of the saying here. When a fool laughs it has no significance, it is of no value. The phrase here probably refers back to verse 4, the “house of mirth.” That sound or noise does not have any greater value; it does not accomplish or teach anything. We may translate “so is the sound of a fool laughing,” or “so is the noise of foolish laughter.”

This also is vanity: what does this refer to? If verses 5-6 belong together, then it is possible that this refers to Qoheleth’s advice that we should accept wise correction rather than flattery from fools. On the other hand, here it probably refers to the emptiness of the fool’s speech. If so, then this can be spelled out: “such laughter has no point to it.” Good News Translation “it doesn’t mean a thing” is acceptable.

The complete verse may be translated:

• Like the sound of twigs burning under a pot, so is the laughter of fools. It makes noise, but it accomplishes nothing.

Or, linking up to verse 5,

• … because the laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorny twigs burning under a cooking pot. It is empty sound; it means nothing at all.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .