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.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
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 something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
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 your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
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?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
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.
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
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.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
