Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!
As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, 'He [is] a fool.'
Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
6 He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
8 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
10 If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
11 If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
14 And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'
Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
20 Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
