Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.
Dead flies cause the precious oil of the apothecary to become stinking and foaming; so doth a little folly him that is valued for wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
The heart of a wise man is at his right hand; but the heart of a fool is at his left.
3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
Yea also, on whatever way the fool walketh, doth he lack proper sense, and he saith to all that he is a fool.
4 If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for submissiveness causeth great offences to be avoided.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
Folly is set in great high places, and the rich sit in lowness.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants upon the ground.—
8 He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.
He that diggeth a pit will fall into it; and him who breaketh down a fence—a serpent will bite him.
9 He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.
If the iron be blunt, and man do not whet the edge, then must he exert more strength; but the advantage of making it properly sharp is wisdom.
11 If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
If the serpent do bite because no one uttered a charm, then hath the man that can use his tongue [in charming] no preference.—
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
The words of a wise man's mouth [bring] grace; but the lips of a fool will destroy himself.
13 The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing madness.
14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?
The fool also multiplieth words; [but] a man cannot know what is to be; and what is to be after him, who can tell him?
15 The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
The toil of the foolish will weary every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.—
16 Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is lowminded, and when thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.
Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is noble-spirited, and thy princes eat in proper time, for strengthening, and not for gluttony!—
18 When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.
19 A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.
20 Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
Even in thy thought thou must not curse a king; and in thy bed-chambers do not curse the rich; for a bird of the air can carry the sound, and that which hath wings can tell the word.
