Ecclesiastes 10

¹Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer loathsome and corrupt; thus doth a little folly weigh down wisdom and honor.

²A wise man’s mind is at his right hand; but a fool’s mind is at his left.

³Yea, even when the fool walketh in the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

⁴If the anger of a ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place! for gentleness pacifieth great offences.

⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun; an error which proceedeth from a ruler.

⁶Folly is set in many high stations, and the noble sit in a low place.

⁷I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on foot.

⁸He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh down a wall, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith, and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

¹⁰If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put forth more strength; but an advantage for giving success hath wisdom.

¹¹If a serpent bite before he is charmed, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool are his destruction.

¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁴A fool also multiplieth words, though no man knoweth what shall be; and who can tell him what shall be after him?

¹⁵The labor of the foolish man wearieth him, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

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

¹⁷Happy thou, O land, when thy king is a noble, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and by the slackness of the hands the house leaketh.

¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money answereth all things.

²⁰Curse not the king; no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber! for a bird of the air shall carry the voice; and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

Ecclesiastes 10

¹Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

²A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.

³Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

⁴If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

⁶Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

⁷I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

⁸He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

¹⁰If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁴A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁵The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

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

¹⁷Blessed 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!

¹⁸By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

²⁰Curse 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.