Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.
2 The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his sense faileth [him], and he saith to every one [that] he is a fool.
4 If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.
5 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:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:
6 Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
7 I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
10 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.
If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.
11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 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?
And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
15 The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how to go to the city.
16 Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 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.
Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in [due] season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.
20 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.
Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
