Ecclesiastes 10

1 Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh 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 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 has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”

Yes also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.

If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.

6 He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.

Folly is set in great dignity, and 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 on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.

8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.

He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a serpent.

9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.

Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered thereby.

10 If the iron has been blunt, And he has not sharpened the face, Then he increases strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.

If the axe is blunt, and one doesn't sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.

If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer's tongue.

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 a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

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 foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”

A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn't know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.

The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn't know how to go to the city.

16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.

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

17 Blessed are you, O land, When your king [is] a son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

Blessed are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your 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 the house drops.

By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.

A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

20 Even in your mind do not revile a king, And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declares the word.

Do not curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and do not curse the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.