< Ecclesiastes 10 >

1 As dead flies cause perfume to stink, so a little folly can overpower wisdom and honor.
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
2 The heart of a wise person tends to the right, but the heart of a fool tends to the left.
The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
3 When a fool walks down a road, his thinking is deficient, proving to everyone he is a fool.
Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
4 If the emotions of a ruler rise up against you, do not leave your work. Calm can quiet down great outrage.
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 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, a kind of error that comes from a ruler:
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 Fools are given leadership positions, while successful men are given low positions.
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
7 I have seen slaves riding horses, and successful men walking like slaves on the ground.
I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
8 Anyone who digs a pit can fall into it, and whenever someone breaks down a wall, a snake can bite him.
He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Whoever cuts out stones can be hurt by them, and the man who chops wood is endangered by it.
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
10 If an iron blade is dull, and a man does not sharpen it, then he must use more strength, but wisdom provides an advantage for success.
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 snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer.
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
13 As words begin to flow from a fool's mouth, foolishness comes out, and at the end his mouth flows with wicked madness.
The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
14 A fool multiplies words, but no one knows what is coming. Who knows what is coming after 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 fools wearies them, so that they do not even know the road to town.
The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, land, if your king is a young boy, and if your leaders begin feasting in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
17 But blessed are you, land, if your king is the son of nobles, and if your leaders eat at the right time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
18 Because of laziness the roof sinks in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 People prepare food for laughter, wine brings enjoyment to life, and money fills the need for everything.
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
20 Do not curse the king, not even in your mind, and do not curse rich people in your bedroom. For a bird of the sky might carry your words; whatever has wings can spread 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.

< Ecclesiastes 10 >