Ecclesiastes 10

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

1Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom--By reason of honour--a little folly!

1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.

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

2The heart of the wise <FI>is<Fi> at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.

2The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

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

3And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, `He <FI>is<Fi> a fool.'

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

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

4If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.

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

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

5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,

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

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

6He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.

6folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.

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

7I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.

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

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

8Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.

8He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.

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

9Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.

9Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

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.

10If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom <FI>is<Fi> advantageous to make right.

10If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.

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

11If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.

11If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.

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

12Words of the mouth of the wise <FI>are<Fi> gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

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

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

13The beginning of the words of his mouth <FI>is<Fi> folly, And the latter end of his mouth <FI>Is<Fi> mischievous madness.

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

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

14And the fool multiplieth words: `Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'

14And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?

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

15The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.

15The labour of fools wearieth them, because they 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.

16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king <FI>is<Fi> a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.

16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy 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.

17Happy art thou, O land, When thy king <FI>is<Fi> a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

17Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in [due] season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

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

18By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.

18By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.

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

19For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.

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.

20Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.

20Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.