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.
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
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 in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
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, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
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 him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
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 it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
6 Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
7 I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
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, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
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 be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
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?
A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can 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 shall afflict them that know not bow 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 when the 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.
Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
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.
Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
