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.
As dead flies cause perfume to stink, so a little folly can overpower wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of a wise man is at his right hand; but the heart of a fool is at his left.
The heart of a wise person tends to the right, but the heart of a fool tends to the 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.
When a fool walks down a road, his thinking is deficient, proving to everyone he is a fool.
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 emotions of a ruler rise up against you, do not leave your work. Calm can quiet down great outrage.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, a kind of error that comes from a ruler:
6 Folly is set in great high places, and the rich sit in lowness.
Fools are given leadership positions, while successful men are given low positions.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants upon the ground.—
I have seen slaves riding horses, and successful men walking like slaves on the ground.
8 He that diggeth a pit will fall into it; and him who breaketh down a fence—a serpent will bite him.
Anyone who digs a pit can fall into it, and whenever someone breaks down a wall, a snake can bite him.
9 Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be endangered thereby.
Whoever cuts out stones can be hurt by them, and the man who chops wood is endangered by it.
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 an iron blade is dull, and a man does not sharpen it, then he must use more strength, but wisdom provides an advantage for success.
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 snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for 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 man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing madness.
As words begin to flow from a fool's mouth, foolishness comes out, and at the end his mouth flows with wicked 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 multiplies words, but no one knows what is coming. Who knows what is coming 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 toil of fools wearies them, so that they do not even know the road to town.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is lowminded, and when thy princes eat in the morning!
Woe to you, land, if your king is a young boy, and if your leaders begin feasting 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!—
But blessed are you, land, if your king is the son of nobles, and if your leaders eat at the right time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.
Because of laziness the roof sinks in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.
19 For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.
People prepare food for laughter, wine brings enjoyment to life, and money fills the need for everything.
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.
Do not curse the king, not even in your mind, and do not curse rich people in your bedroom. For a bird of the sky might carry your words; whatever has wings can spread the matter.
