Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies can make perfumed oil smell bad. Likewise a little foolishness outweighs great wisdom and honor.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking smell: so does a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.
2 The mind of the wise person chooses the right side, but the mind of the fool goes left!
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Just the way that fools walk down the road shows they have no sense, making clear to everyone their stupidity.
Yes also, when he that is a fool walks by the way, his wisdom fails him, and he says to every one that he is a fool.
4 If your superior gets angry with you, don't give up and leave. If you stay calm even bad mistakes can be resolved.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offenses.
5 I also realized there's another evil here on earth: rulers make a big mistake
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler:
6 when they put fools in high positions, while those who are richly qualified are put in low positions.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7 I've seen slaves riding on horseback, while princes walk on the ground like slaves.
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 If you dig a pit, you could fall in. If you knock down a wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaks an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 If you quarry stone, you could be injured. If you split logs, you could be hurt.
Whoever removes stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that splits wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If your ax is blunt and you don't sharpen it, you have to use a lot more force. Conclusion: being wise brings good results.
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 If the snake bites the snake charmer before it's charmed, there's no benefit to the snake charmer!
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12 Wise words are beneficial, but fools destroy themselves by what they say.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13 Fools begin by saying foolish things, and end up talking evil nonsense.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 Fools talk on and on, however no one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Work makes fools so worn out they can't achieve anything.
The labor of the foolish wearies every one of them, because he knows not how to go to the city.
16 You're in trouble if the king of your country is young, and if your leaders are busy feasting from early morning.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 You're fortunate if your king comes from a noble family, and your leaders feast at the proper time to give themselves energy, and not to get drunk.
Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Lazy people let their roofs collapse; idle people don't repair their leaky houses.
By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through.
19 A good meal brings pleasure; wine makes life pleasant; money provides for all needs.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry: but money answers all things.
20 Don't talk badly about the king, not even in your thoughts. Don't talk badly about leaders, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird may hear what you say and fly away to tell them.
Curse not the king, no not in your thought; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
