Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so does a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walks by the way, his wisdom fails him, and he says to every one that he is a fool.
Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offences.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaks an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Whoso removes stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not sharpen the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 The labour of the foolish wearies every one of them, because he knows not how to go to the city.
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry: but money answers all things.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Curse not the king, no not in your thought; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
