Ecclesiastes 10
1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
3 Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
10 If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
16 Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
20 Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
