< 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!
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his 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.”
4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
6 He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
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.
11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat 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.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
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.
