Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the precious oil of the apothecary to become stinking and foaming; so doth a little folly him that is valued for wisdom and honor.
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 fool is at his left.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Yea also, on whatever way the fool walketh, doth he lack proper sense, and he saith to all that he is a fool.
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 spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for submissiveness causeth great offences to be avoided.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Folly is set in great high places, and the rich sit in lowness.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants upon the ground.—
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit will fall into it; and him who breaketh down a fence—a serpent will bite him.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be endangered thereby.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and man do not whet the edge, then must he exert more strength; but the advantage of making it properly sharp is wisdom.
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 do bite because no one uttered a charm, then hath the man that can use his tongue [in charming] no preference.—
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth [bring] grace; but the lips of a fool will destroy himself.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 The fool also multiplieth words; [but] a man cannot know what is to be; and what is to be after him, who can tell 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 toil of the foolish will weary every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.—
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is lowminded, and when thy princes eat in the morning!
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is noble-spirited, and thy princes eat in proper time, for strengthening, and not for gluttony!—
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 Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Even in thy thought thou must not curse a king; and in thy bed-chambers do not curse the rich; for a bird of the air can carry the sound, and that which hath wings can tell the word.
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.
