Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause to stinke, and putrifie the ointment of the apoticarie: so doeth a litle follie him that is in estimation for wisedome, and for glorie.
Dying flies ruin the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a brief and limited foolishness.
2 The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.
The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a foolish man is in his left hand.
3 And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
Moreover, as a foolish man is walking along the way, even though he himself is unwise, he considers everyone to be foolish.
4 If the spirite of him that ruleth, rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenes pacifieth great sinnes.
If the spirit of one who holds authority rises over you, do not leave your place, because attentiveness will cause the greatest sins to cease.
5 There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, proceeding from the presence of a prince, as if by mistake:
6 Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
a foolish man appointed to a high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath him.
7 I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking on the ground like servants.
8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever tears apart a hedge, a snake will bite him.
9 He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
Whoever carries away stones will be harmed by them. And whoever cuts down trees will be wounded by them.
10 If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.
If the iron is dull, and if it was not that way before, but has been made dull by much labor, then it will be sharpened. And wisdom will follow after diligence.
11 If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
Whoever slanders in secret is nothing less than a snake that bites silently.
12 The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.
Words from the mouth of a wise man are graceful, but the lips of a foolish man will throw him down with violence.
13 The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.
At the beginning of his words is foolishness, and at the end of his talk is a most grievous error.
14 For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?
The fool multiplies his words. A man does not know what has been before him, and who is able to reveal to him what will be in the future after him?
15 The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.
The hardship of the foolish will afflict those who do not know to go into the city.
16 Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
Woe to you, the land whose king is a boy, and whose princes consume in the morning.
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the sonne of nobles, and thy princes eate in time, for strength and not for drunkennesse.
Blessed is the land whose king is noble, and whose princes eat at the proper time, for refreshment and not for self-indulgence.
18 By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.
By laziness, a framework shall be brought down, and by the weakness of hands, a house shall collapse through.
19 They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
While laughing, they make bread and wine, so that the living may feast. And all things are obedient to money.
20 Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.
You should not slander the king, even in your thoughts, and you should not speak evil of a wealthy man, even in your private chamber. For even the birds of the air will carry your voice, and whatever has wings will announce your opinion.
