Ecclesiastes 10

1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking smell: so does a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.

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 Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.

Yes 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.

4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offenses.

5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler:

6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.

Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.

I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.

8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.

He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaks an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.

Whoever removes stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that splits wood shall be endangered thereby.

10 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.

If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?

A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

15 The labor of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.

The labor of the foolish wearies every one of them, because he knows not how to go to the city.

16 Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.

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!

18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.

By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through.

19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.

A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry: but money answers all things.

20 Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.

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.