Ecclesiastes 10

1 Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.

Dead flies cause to stinke, and putrifie the ointment of the apoticarie: so doeth a litle follie him that is in estimation for wisedome, and for glorie.

2 The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:

The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.

3 Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!

And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.

4 If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.

If the spirite of him that ruleth, rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenes pacifieth great sinnes.

5 Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, —a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:

There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.

6 Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:

Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.

7 I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.

I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.

8 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.

He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.

He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.

10 If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, —but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.

If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.

11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.

If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.

12 The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:

The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.

The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.

14 Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, —[though] no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?

15 The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.

The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.

16 Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:

Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.

17 How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, —and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.

Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the sonne of nobles, and thy princes eate in time, for strength and not for drunkennesse.

18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.

By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.

19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.

They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.

20 Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich, —for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.

Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.