Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
2 A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.
The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
3 Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.
If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:
Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, —a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:
6 Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
9 Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, —but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.
11 If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
14 A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, —[though] no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!
How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, —and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.
18 By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
20 Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich, —for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
