< Ecclesiastes 10 >
1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his sense faileth [him], and he saith to every one [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 spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
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 iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
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 swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous 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?
And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat 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.
Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in [due] season, 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.
By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
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 made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth 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.
Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.