Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!
As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”
Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
6 He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
10 If the iron has been blunt, And he has not sharpened the face, Then he increases strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
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] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land, When your king [is] a son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
20 Even in your mind do not revile a king, And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declares the word.
Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
