Ecclesiastes 10
1 [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.
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 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.
The heart of a wise man is at his right hand; but the heart of a fool is at his left.
3 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.
Yea also, on whatever way the fool walketh, doth he lack proper sense, and he saith to all that he is a fool.
4 Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for submissiveness causeth great offences to be avoided.
5 There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
Folly is set in great high places, and the rich sit in lowness.
7 They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants upon the ground.—
8 [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].
He that diggeth a pit will fall into it; and him who breaketh down a fence—a serpent will bite him.
9 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.
Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be endangered thereby.
10 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.
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 snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
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 Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
The words of a wise man's mouth [bring] grace; but the lips of a fool will destroy himself.
13 When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing madness.
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
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 Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
The toil of the foolish will weary every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.—
16 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.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is lowminded, and when thy princes eat in the morning!
17 [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.
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 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].
Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.
19 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].
For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.
20 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].
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.
