Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odour; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at 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 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that 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 spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offences to rest.
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 which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the 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 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
10 If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings 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 the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
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 a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
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 foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
14 A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will 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 labour of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
17 Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, 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 By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
20 Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may 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.
