Ecclesiastes 10

Modern

Literal

Wisdom and Folly

¹As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil,

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

¹Dead flies rising up in the ointment of a perfumer give a stench; a little folly is heavier than wisdom and honor.

²A wise man’s heart inclines to the right,

but the heart of a fool to the left.

²The heart of a wise one is to his right, and the heart of a fool to his left.

³Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking,

and he shows everyone that he is a fool.

³And even in a fool walking along the way, his heart is lacking, and he shows to everyone that he is a fool.

⁴If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post,

for calmness lays great offenses to rest.

⁴If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, you should not leave your station, for calmness puts to rest great sins.

⁵There is an evil I have seen under the sun—

an error that proceeds from the ruler:

⁵There is an evil I have seen under the sun, as an error that goes forth from before the face of the ruler:

⁶Folly is appointed to great heights,

but the rich sit in lowly positions.

⁶He has set a fool in many high places, and the rich ones sit in the lowly place.

⁷I have seen slaves on horseback,

while princes go on foot like slaves.

⁷I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves on the earth.

⁸He who digs a pit may fall into it,

and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.

⁸The one digging a pit will fall into it; and one breaking through a wall, a snake will bite him.

⁹The one who quarries stones may be injured by them,

and he who splits logs endangers himself.

⁹The one pulling out stones will be hurt by them; the one splitting trees endangers himself by them.

¹⁰If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened,

more strength must be exerted,

but skill produces success.

¹⁰If the iron has been blunt, and he has not sharpened the edge, then he must exert strength; and wisdom is an advantage to being successful.

¹¹If the snake bites before it is charmed,

there is no profit for the charmer.

¹¹If the snake bites without a charm, then there is no advantage for the master of the tongue.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,

but the lips of a fool consume him.

¹²The words of the mouth of a wise one are favor, and the lips of a fool will swallow him up—

¹³The beginning of his talk is folly,

and the end of his speech is evil madness.

¹³the beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his mouth is evil madness.

¹⁴Yet the fool multiplies words.

No one knows what is coming,

and who can tell him what will come after him?

¹⁴And the fool multiplies words. Man does not know what will come to be, and of what will come to be after him, who can declare it to him?

¹⁵The toil of a fool wearies him,

for he does not know the way to the city.

¹⁵The toil of fools wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.

¹⁶Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth,^a

and whose princes feast in the morning.

¹⁶Woe to you, O land, that your king is a youth, and your princes feast in the morning!

¹⁷Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles,

and whose princes feast at the proper time—

for strength and not for drunkenness.

¹⁷Blessed are you, O land, that your king is a son of nobles, and your princes feast in due season—for strength and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸Through laziness the roof caves in,

and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.

¹⁸By laziness, the rafter is made to sink, and by idleness of hands, the house leaks.

¹⁹A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry,

but money is the answer for everything.

¹⁹Bread is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry—and the silver is the answer to all.

²⁰Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,

or curse the rich even in your bedroom,

for a bird of the air may carry your words,

and a winged creature may report your speech.

²⁰Even in your thought you must not belittle the king, and in the chambers of your bed do not belittle the rich, for a bird of the heavens may carry along your voice, and a possessor of wings may declare the word.