Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
3 Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.
If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:
Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, —a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.
I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
8 He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
9 He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.
He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right.
If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, —but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.
The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
14 A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, —[though] no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.
The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
17 Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble men, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, —and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.
Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich, —for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
