Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for 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 heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart 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 he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom 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 yielding pacifieth 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, as an error which proceedeth from the 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 in great dignity, 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 an hedge, 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 removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be 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 he 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 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
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 mischievous 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 is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what 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 the foolish wearieth every one of them, because 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 child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for 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 much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
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 merry: but 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.
