< 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!
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his 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.'
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his sense faileth [him], and he saith to every one [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 spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:
6 He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9 Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
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 iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.
11 If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
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 swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'
And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how to go 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 thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat 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.
Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in [due] season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth 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.
Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.