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 precious oil of the apothecary to become stinking and foaming; so doth a little folly him that is valued for wisdom and honor.
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 the heart of a fool is 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, on whatever way the fool walketh, doth he lack proper sense, and he saith to all 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 submissiveness causeth great offences to be avoided.
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 which I have seen under the sun, like an error which 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 high places, and the rich sit in lowness.
7 I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants upon the ground.—
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 will fall into it; and him who breaketh down a fence—a serpent will bite him.
9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be 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 man do not whet the edge, then must he exert more strength; but the advantage of making it properly sharp is wisdom.
11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
If the serpent do bite because no one uttered a charm, then hath the man that can use his tongue [in charming] no preference.—
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 [bring] grace; but the lips of a fool will destroy 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 foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing 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?
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?
15 The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
The toil of the foolish will weary every one of them, because he knoweth 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 lowminded, and when 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 noble-spirited, and thy princes eat in proper time, for strengthening, and not for gluttony!—
18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.
19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.
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.
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.
