Ecclesiastes 10

¹Dying flies ruin the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a brief and limited foolishness.

²The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a foolish man is in his left hand.

³Moreover, as a foolish man is walking along the way, even though he himself is unwise, he considers everyone to be foolish.

⁴If the spirit of one who holds authority rises over you, do not leave your place, because attentiveness will cause the greatest sins to cease.

⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, proceeding from the presence of a prince, as if by mistake:

⁶a foolish man appointed to a high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath him.

⁷I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking on the ground like servants.

⁸Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever tears apart a hedge, a snake will bite him.

⁹Whoever carries away stones will be harmed by them. And whoever cuts down trees will be wounded by them.

¹⁰If the iron is dull, and if it was not that way before, but has been made dull by much labor, then it will be sharpened. And wisdom will follow after diligence.

¹¹Whoever slanders in secret is nothing less than a snake that bites silently.

¹²Words from the mouth of a wise man are graceful, but the lips of a foolish man will throw him down with violence.

¹³At the beginning of his words is foolishness, and at the end of his talk is a most grievous error.

¹⁴The fool multiplies his words. A man does not know what has been before him, and who is able to reveal to him what will be in the future after him?

¹⁵The hardship of the foolish will afflict those who do not know to go into the city.

¹⁶Woe to you, the land whose king is a boy, and whose princes consume in the morning.

¹⁷Blessed is the land whose king is noble, and whose princes eat at the proper time, for refreshment and not for self-indulgence.

¹⁸By laziness, a framework shall be brought down, and by the weakness of hands, a house shall collapse through.

¹⁹While laughing, they make bread and wine, so that the living may feast. And all things are obedient to money.

²⁰You should not slander the king, even in your thoughts, and you should not speak evil of a wealthy man, even in your private chamber. For even the birds of the air will carry your voice, and whatever has wings will announce your opinion.

Ecclesiastes 10

¹Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.

²The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.

³Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas he himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.

⁴If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.

⁵There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:

⁶A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.

⁷I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.

⁸He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.

¹⁰If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.

¹¹If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.

¹²The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.

¹³The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.

¹⁴A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁵The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not how to go to the city.

¹⁶Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.

¹⁷Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.

¹⁸By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.

¹⁹For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.

²⁰Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.