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.

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

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

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

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

Yes, 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 a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered 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 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 a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.

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 pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:

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 folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.

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

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?

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

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

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

Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat 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 are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.

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

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

19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, 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 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.

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.