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.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
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 the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses.
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, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
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 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.
11 If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.
The labor of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat 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 are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
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.
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.
