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 oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odour; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
A wise man’s heart 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.
Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to 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 spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offences 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 which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which 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 set in great dignity, and 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 on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
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 whoever breaks through 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.
Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
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 blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings 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, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
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 a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
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 foolishness; 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?
A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can 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 wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know 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 you, land, when your king is a child, and your 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 are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your 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 slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands 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 made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
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.
Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.
