Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
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.
2 The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
3 Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
4 If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
6 A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
7 I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
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.
9 He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
10 If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
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.
11 If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
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.
12 The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
13 The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
14 A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
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?
15 The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
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.
18 By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
19 For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
20 Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
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.
