Ecclesiastes 10

1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking savour: [so] doth a little folly outweigh 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 the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith 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 thee, leave not thy place; for yielding allayeth 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 it were an error which proceedeth 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 diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, 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 heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that cleaveth wood is 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 one do not whet 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 If the serpent bite before it be charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

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 multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and that which 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 fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth 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 thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!

17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy 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 slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

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 maketh glad the life: and money answereth 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 thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath 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.